Wonderful Wizardry

While Hogwarts certainly has the appeal of towering spires, talking paintings, and petrified knights to compete with, there is an equal amount of magic happening in the home of the Windsor Wizards.

As I strolled through the hallowed hallways of WHS the other day, I experienced something that no sorcerer – no matter their strength and wisdom – could have possibly conjured up with the flick of their wand. I noticed a student – a sophomore at that – who was reading something quite familiar to me. He held a copy of “World Train” before him and his eyes raced back and forth across the page, mesmerized by the adventure he had come to discover. Now, being only my second week on the job, I’ve been unable to introduce my books and the stories they weave.

I leaned down next to him and our conversation went as thus:

MD: What’cha reading?

SQUASHMORE: Oh. It’s called “World Train”.

MD: Huh…what’s it about?

SQUASHMORE: This guy that dies and wakes up in Hell. He has to fight Death and Satan to get out and then the world gets flooded. He’s trying to find his way to heaven. It’s really cool. I wish they would make books like this into movies.

MD: That does sound really cool. Did you pick it up at Barnes & Noble?

SQUASHMORE: No. Online.

MD: Oh. That’s cool. I’ll have to see if I can find it.

SQUASHMORE: For sure. I think there’s gonna be another one.

MD: Nice.

At that point, I stood up and walked away with a smile on my face. For a second, I wondered if what I just did was a jerk move (for not telling him who I was or signing his book), or if it was just plain badass on my part. I got to my office, sat down in my chair, put my hands above my head and it was clear…that was badass. Straight up. How many other people get to do something like that in their lifetimes? Besides, I figure before the end of the school year, I’ll see the little squashmore again and I’ll make an effort to get his name and chat with him without revealing my identity. Come the end of the year, he’ll get a nice surprise signature in his yearbook. I think it makes for a better story in the end – something that he’ll remember forever and that’s what it’s about. We both end up feelin’ like we’re on Cloud 9, and we both end up with an awesome memory to boot.

And just in case you find my blog squashmore, rest assured…there’s definitely another one coming :)