Infatuation

I think I’ve fallen in love with a fictional character.  Does anyone else do this?  Or is it just me?

I discovered The Dresden Files series fairly recently and listened to as many of the audiobooks as I could find in our local library system.  The guy who reads the books is absolutely perfect for the part.  He’s got the combination of sarcasm and honest feeling down pat.  I rarely purchase audiobooks, but I am seriously considering putting the whole set on my Amazon wish list so I can catch up with Harry any time I want.

I have lunch dates with Harry (I read on my lunch hour).  I look forward to spending Friday evening with him (another chance to read).  I love tall guys, but I don’t think I’ve ever gone out with someone quite that tall (he’s over 6 ½ feet tall).  Lucky for me, tall guys often like short women.  If only Jim Butcher would write faster.  Sigh.  I recently got my hands on the graphic novel, and they did an incredible job—Harry looks just like I thought he would.  Sigh again.

Realizing that the more I got to know him, the more infatuated I was becoming, I thought about why I like him so much.  Of course, there’s the tremendous smart-assery, especially in the face of danger.  I’m not sure I’d like dating someone who is that much funnier than I am, but I’d be willing to give it a try.  He loves animals, even if he wouldn’t want to admit that out loud (the scene with Mister the cat in the most recent book almost made me tear up a little).  He’s one of my favorite physical types, but that’s less important to me.  I think the real reason I find him so appealing is his need to protect and care for the people closest to him.  My general impression of men is that they are mostly selfish.  I can barely imagine what it would be like to date a guy who wanted to take care of me.  I seem to attract the “Pitiful Pete” type—the one who is always just a little worse off than I am.  If I have a headache, he has a migraine.  If I have a rough day, he has a terrible one.  No matter how much I would like some help, he needs it more.  So, yeah, that might explain why someone supportive and protective caught my attention.  And because he’s funny.  Because if you don’t have laughs, you don’t have much.