Jacob Lawrence, When it is Warm the Parks Are Filled with People (1943)

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July 16, 2005:

Beautiful little girl, ten perhaps, Amerasian, steps up fearlessly to ask about your Slytherin scarf.

"I like green with gray," you tell her. "They've always been my favorite colors, since I was little."

She accepts that explanation. Her own scarf is Gryffindor, of course, red and gold, as is all the paraphernalia worn by any of the kids. Yours is the only Slytherin insignia in sight.

Indeed, you stand out as the only adult wearing a badge of any kind. As well as the only adult not accompanying at least four excited but sleepy-looking children. This makes you special, and the kids approve. You're not there for someone else. You're there for yourself, because you want to be.

On all sides they're bursting with impatience. The youngest rub sleepy eyes; someone awoke them after bedtime, so they could participate tonight. Some stand on tip-toe, looking over friends' shoulders to see what's happening. Others talk away the wait.

"What house do you think you'd be placed in," the fearless girl asks you, "if you went to Hogwarts?"

"Well," you answer, thinking about it. "Probably not Gryffindor. I don't think I'm brave enough. I think, probably Ravenclaw. They value intelligence above other qualities. I'd make a fair Ravenclaw. But then, so would Hermione and you know where she wound up." You shrug, and again the kids approve.

The staff begin calling numbers. Starting with one. The fearless girl holds number four hundred twenty. It'll be a long night.

You don't leave with a book. You didn't reserve one, and around 2am the staff determine that they might run out of reserved copies, if they sell to you. But that's ok. It was a fun party. You and the fearless girl and her friends, talking seriously and appreciatively about the things you like best. In the morning you'll try Barnes and Noble.

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