Tuesday, July 17, 2007

El Jefe, Meet Harry Potter

This Friday El Jefe will meet Harry Potter for the first time at the movies.

No, he hasn't read any of the books or seen any of the previous movies. El Jefe is not a fan of most fiction and definitely eschews fantasy, which he calls "whimsey", at all costs. He is not amused or edified by references to the Lord of the Rings trilogy in sermons at church ("not the hobbits again, he moans) and you can bet he'll feel the same way about Harry Potter, despite his otherwise pronounced Anglophile tendencies.

But here's the deal: one of his clients invited him to a late night showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix this coming Friday night. After the movie, he gets a copy of the new HP book as a "party favor." Knowing that his daughter Babs is a huge HP fan, El Jefe the Good Daddy agreed to take me, Babs and two of her college friends to the showing so Babs can get the book.

Now the movie is way past his normal bedtime, so he's trying to decide how to stay awake. He's thinking a late supper with all of us and coffee might do the trick. I told Babs that she needs to give him a little instruction in Harry Potter 101, since I've only read the first book and part of the second. She's thinking about it. Any advice, Potterites?

11 comments:

Gannet Girl said...

Hmmm...turns out El Jefe and I have a few things in common! Even, perhaps, many!

My advice: just enjoy it. It's fun. You can pretty much figure out the who and what from the movie itself --I've only ever read and seen the first one before this last week. I'm sure die-hard HP fans see much more in it than I did, but that's ok.

Jan said...

What a good dad! My husband refuses to go to children's movies, esp. after the first HP movie that he absolutely hated. He does not read the books either. So YAY for El Jefe!

Lori said...

In describing the story, present it as the wizarding trial of the century. Voldemort vs. Potter. With Dumbledore as the presiding judge. The stories can be told as witness testimony.

Princess of Everything (and then some) said...

Cannot help since I am not a fan and that is past my bed time too.

But I do think he is a great daddy for doing this!

Shawn said...

Someone has photographed every page of book seven and put it on the internet. If you don't want to know how it ends I would recommend not getting on the internet until you've read it.

Michael Kruse said...

"El Jefe is not a fan of most fiction and definitely eschews fantasy, which he calls "whimsey", at all costs."

My vote is with El Jefe, at least on the fantasy part.

Sounds like he is a real trooper though!

Alan said...

I am an HP fan. Became one when I got the first book for $2 at Powells [world's best bookstore] just to see what all the hoopla was about.

Am taking the 21st off to read the 7th book. Unless someone dies I'm unreachable. I hope El Jefe get's hooked...

Jan said...

Shawn, thanks for the warning of the book being posted on the internet. I do NOT want to hear or read anything about what happens, especially concerning the deaths in Book 7. Good idea to go with an ipod to buy the book!

St. Casserole said...

Great party idea! I'm driving over to go with you all, ok?

If Babs doesn't want to bring E E up to date, just let him put his legal mind on it.

Really sounds fun!

Anonymous said...

El Jefe is a keeper. Please report on his review of the movie!

Reformed Catholic said...

Jan,

I found the copy of the book on the net before it was removed, and even though I have the book on order from Amazon, and will get it on Saturday, I confess I couldn't wait till the UPS guy got here.

I'm not going to post any spoilers except to say it took me only 6 or 7 hours to read the entire 600+ page book.