Yes, I Do Realize There is No One Else in the Room

I am reading a novel and really getting into it. The writer has done an excellent job of making me feel outraged at the behavior of one of the antagonists. I don't realize quite how outraged I am until my daughter walks in the room and asks, "Who are you talking to, mom?"

"Um...no one," I reply, while attempting to avoid eye contact with my fifth grader.

"Then why did I hear you talking?" 

That's when she notices my book.

"Oh, are mad at your book again?"

"Yes..." I'm still avoiding eye contact, while uselessly attempting to stifle a grin. 

My daughter just laughs quietly and rolls her eyes on her way out of the room. She knows she can't say much because she has been caught talking to empty rooms on many occasions; though I have yet to catch her telling off a troublesome fictional character --this does not mean it hasn't happened-- just that she hasn't yet been caught!

I have been known to spend a good fifteen minutes or more (at least until the back light in my NOOK Color times out) having heated conversations with some character, attempting to verbally rip them a new one for all the horrible things they are doing to the protagonist. I hoped that my sharp tongued lectures would shame Jane Eyre's wicked aunt, Mrs. Reed into decency. I fantasized about having Miss Scatcherd drawn and quartered.

When I was younger, I wanted in on all the action in the Chronicles of Narnia. I seriously wanted to meet Reepicheep. I didn't realize that I might also like to meet Mr. Tumnus, though until I saw him portrayed by James McAvoy, but then, that's another story...

(Rawr!)