Blue Skies

I work for a big brown delivery company — I’m pretty sure you know who I’m talking about. Yesterday, we began receiving shipments of the newest and last Harry Potter book.  There were literally hundreds of boxes coming through our area, so the chances of one breaking open during transit between areas was pretty good.  As fate would have it, one did.

My job is called a Pick-Off, and what that means is that I’m responsible for overseeing all of the packages that come into our area and making sure that they get to the proper trucks.  So when this opened box of Harry Potter books came down, I had to pull it aside so I could tape it up and send it on its way.

A dilemma.  Do I look through one of the books and find out the ending?  I could have, and it was pretty tempting.  But, I refrained.  I didn’t want to spoil the surprise.  But that got me thinking — how easily could I have got my cell phone, snapped a few pictures, and plastered the ending over the internet?  Just think, I could have set off a web-wide firestorm!  I could have literally ruined people’s lives.

I’m an honest man, though, and I believe heavily in Karma.  So no spoilers from your friendly neighborhood Shawn M.

Still, though, it was pretty cool to hold the book five days before the rest of the world could.