We made a deal. If he read the book we would watch the movie together.

“But what about my brothers?”

“When they read the book, they can watch the movie.”                                           

So J read and read and read. He devoured The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and the day he finished, I drove down to the video store and rented the movie Lord of the Rings.

 That night, we got everyone else tucked into bed, including the bewildered 9 year old who rarely does anything without his older brother, and was a little miffed by the ‘got to read it first’ rule, even though he was challenged by the  whole idea,

..... and the thankful 7 year old, who was just glad not to be the odd man out, ‘cause he’s got a few years before he’ll be reading anything like that

..... and the very sleepy 4 year old who didn't even ask to see it, because as she said herself, "Its too much and I'm only 4."

 J, Dad and I hunkered down in our bedroom for a long show. There was only one scene where J covered his eyes knowing what was to come. Good for him. He didn’t want to see the death of … what’s his name? (I never remember the strange names and places in these movies.) There is no way he would have wanted to watch this movie if he had not read the book. It would have been far too much for his sensitive spirit.

We ended close to midnight and then lay there talking, with J in a sleeping bag on the floor of our room.

 It was a sweet time; like a rite that was earned with hard work and determination.

Now J is working on The Two Towers (The next one in the Lord of the Rings Series).

Just this evening I was cracking up at this scene of J wearing his umpiring t-shirt,  heading out the door to umpire a game.

  It’s a scene I’m so used to though – J heading to the car, always with a book in hand (and sometimes his booklight too.). I jokingly encouraged him to leave it in the car and not to try to read it and call the game.

“That wouldn’t be good, Mom. Can you imagine me yelling, ‘Go Gandalf in the middle of a play?!”

Somehow I think I can.