So, how sad is this?
I now have in my possession not one, but two copies of the new Harry Potter book.
A little backstory maestro...
My family reunion is the 3rd Saturday of July. The publisher also picked this date as the release date which prevented me from pre-ordering from anyone since I wouldn't be around to get it. I figured I'd just wait a week and then pick up a copy. However, my uncle was looking for a picnic table. No one around the Bradford area seemed to have one so I told him that I'd stop at the Wal-Mart in Olean where we were staying. While in the building, we hear the announcement that although the story normally closes at 12:00, they were extending the hours til 1:00 A.M. in order to sell copies of the new Harry Potter book. So, I ask the cashier while we're checking out if you needed to pre-order the book. She said, "No, we're starting to sell them at 12:01 and we'll close at 1:00.
So, I decided to see what the mob would be like. I'm still trying to figure out what the mob would be like. There was none. There were maybe 75 people there. They pulled a pallet of the books out of the back, people lined up, they were handed as many copies as they desired, they went to one of 5 registers open, checked out (at a hugely reduced price I might add. I got two for the MSRP of one), drove back to the hotel (which those in the wedding party will remember is right down the street from the Wal-Mart), booted up the computer, and typed this out by 12:18 according to the time signature below. If I had gone to the Barnes and Nobles in Robinson close to Pittsburgh, in 17 minutes I might have been able to see the parking lot where the store next to the Barnes and Nobles was located.
And now to ruin everyone's day...SPOILER ALERT...
Harry Potter is in this book.
You might say that I had to leave the state to buy the book.
Now it's time to go to bed. I've done enough stupid things for one night apparently.
Oh, and the second copy was for my cousin in case anyone was wondering.