Date with a Teen-aged Vampire!

It may sound a tad unusual, but my husband and I are going to see the movie Twilight this Friday.  Yes, he knows a little bit about the series from catching pieces of my conversation with my oldest daughter, Erin.  She and I have had many a Harry Potter-esque adventure together, driving to Border's to wait in line to pick up the latest copy at the stroke of midnight, reading our respective books side-by-side while on the beach, dressing up like characters from the story in order to attend yet another Potter party.  Yes, she is my avid reader accomplice.  We make recommendations to each other and lend out our copies, if we are willing to share for even a couple of days or weeks.  If not, we'll purchase a copy and send it off.  We're the kind of fans that authors and book stores alike dream about.  

We both got hooked on the Twilight series and now, when we get together, we gush like teenagers as we speak about Edward.  Edward and Bella--adolescent culture's latest dream couple.  So what if Edward is a vampire?--he's perfect in so many other ways! And Jacob, what will become of him? We wonder...until, sorrowfully but with some satisfaction, we finish the fourth and final book.

 Skillfully written, the books are very engaging.  The characters come to life, jumping off the page and into the minds and hearts of the reader.  No longer characters in the story, they have become our friends.  We take sides; we cheer them on, encouraging their hopefulness, celebrating their victories and mourning their losses.  Oh that I could write so well!  

Erin and I find ourselves completely hooked!  Our fanaticism is completely and thoroughly transparent, much to our husbands' chagrin. Both men roll their eyes and shake their heads, convinced that we've gone off the deep end, talking so much about our latest obsession.  Still they humor us; it is a harmless obsession, after all.  We remain adamantly loyal.  Who says that a series can only be appreciated by a particular audience?  Through it, we revisit our own adolescence, remembering first love and all its possibilities.

And so, in his endearing attempt to keep me happy,  my husband suggested that we go to see the movie this Friday, the very first day of its release!   Seeing the trailer on TV, he had a brainstorm.  "Twilight!" he said.  "Let's go." I seize upon the invitation at once, realizing that he has no clue.  A high school teacher, I have no idea how many of his students we might run into.  I'm sure they'll be very surprised to see him there!  I almost feel sorry for him, but not enough to cancel our date.  He offered; I accepted.

My tickets are in hand, ordered at Fandango in the event our show sells out.  I don't want to be disappointed, after all. Yes, we have a date on Friday night--a date with a teen aged vampire.  I can't wait to hear what my husband has to say about that. Shh!  Don't tell him.  I want him to be surprised...