Gatekeeper's Cryptic Question in Summer Knight

[Talby16]

This may have been discussed elsewhere, but if so I couldn't find it. If you know of another thread that covers this please post the link. I find it hard to believe that I am the first to comment on this.

In Summer Knight, during the White Council meeting, Rashid privately talks to Harry and asks him about the Winter Emissary situation. At the end of the conversation this remark happens:

"What is the date?" the Gatekeeper asked.

"June eighteenth," I said.

"Ah. Of course." The Gatekeeper turned away, and sounds returned to normal. The Gatekeeper joined the rest of the Senior Council, and they trooped back up to their podiums. Podii. Podia. Whatever. Goddamned correspondence course.

It seems to be completely random. To my knowledge the date of any of the events in this book are never mentioned after this. When Rashid meets Harry in the woods after his visit with the Mothers he does not mention the date or the previous date at all. All I can come up with is that A: Rashid has been doing some time traveling and was confused about what day it was and was honestly asking Harry what the date was. Or B: Rashid was having Harry mention the date so that he would remember it because it will be important to him in the future (Harry did remember it up to the point when he wrote his case books whenever that was. I do not have an encyclopedic memory, but usually the books take place in a season not on specific listed dates (unless it is important like Halloween in DB or CD).

Any ideas as to which it may be or other suggestions on its importance. Once again feel free to direct me to another thread where this has already happened.

[wardenferry419]

The date was important because it was an hint to Harry about power transfer between Fae Queens.

[Talby16]

Ahhh, ok I get that since it is right before the midsummer solstice. I wish that there had been a connection between that date/memory and when Harry realized the significance of the solstice when talking to the Mothers. That would have closed the circle nicely. To a casual observer or someone who is unaware of dates (like me) it looks like an unfulfilled thread. Thank you.

[Griffyn612]

It might have been that Rashid didn't honestly know.  If he was at the Gates, and time moves differently there, he might not know.  Harry's answer told Rashid everything he needed to know.

[wardenferry419]

That is a good possibility as well.

[Talby16]

It might have been that Rashid didn't honestly know.  If he was at the Gates, and time moves differently there, he might not know.  Harry's answer told Rashid everything he needed to know.

That was my initial line of reasoning. My hang-up is that it was not referenced again. It would make sense that the Gatekeeper needs to be good with time if the time at the Outer Gates move differently, but Harry visited the Gates in CD with no discernible loss or gain of time. It is either a subtle reference to midsummer solstice like wardenferry said or planted seed that has not yet sprouted.

[Rasins]

How long was it between the Wouncil meeting and the battle in Chicago-over-Chicago?

[Talby16]

I'll have to go check to be sure, but a couple of days. The battle happens near the midsummer solstice when the stone table switches from summer to winter.

[Mira]

That was my initial line of reasoning. My hang-up is that it was not referenced again. It would make sense that the Gatekeeper needs to be good with time if the time at the Outer Gates move differently, but Harry visited the Gates in CD with no discernible loss or gain of time. It is either a subtle reference to midsummer solstice like wardenferry said or planted seed that has not yet sprouted.

The Outer Gates are not the Stone Table..  Time is important at the Table because it is tied to the change of seasons, which happens during the solstice... 

[Rasins]

I'll have to go check to be sure, but a couple of days. The battle happens near the midsummer solstice when the stone table switches from summer to winter.

Right!

June 11 is about 9 or 10 days from the Summer Solstice.  For the last 20 years the Summer Solstice has been on June 20th or 21st.

Something fishy?

[Griffyn612]

That was my initial line of reasoning. My hang-up is that it was not referenced again. It would make sense that the Gatekeeper needs to be good with time if the time at the Outer Gates move differently, but Harry visited the Gates in CD with no discernible loss or gain of time. It is either a subtle reference to midsummer solstice like wardenferry said or planted seed that has not yet sprouted.

I vote for seed that bore fruit in Cold Days, with the revelation of his job.  It's a subtle thing, but fits with JB's long game style, a la Maeve's "odd little twinkle in her eye" after Harry demanded a truthful answer in PG.  Shortly there after, she said her first known lie (she "believed" Mab was infected like Aurora), which we wouldn't know was a lie until Cold Days.

Slow burn on some things.

[wardenferry419]

That could have been the moment she realized she could lie as well.

[Rasins]

That was my initial line of reasoning. My hang-up is that it was not referenced again. It would make sense that the Gatekeeper needs to be good with time if the time at the Outer Gates move differently, but Harry visited the Gates in CD with no discernible loss or gain of time. It is either a subtle reference to midsummer solstice like wardenferry said or planted seed that has not yet sprouted.

I vote for seed that bore fruit in Cold Days, with the revelation of his job.  It's a subtle thing, but fits with JB's long game style, a la Maeve's "odd little twinkle in her eye" after Harry demanded a truthful answer in PG.  Shortly there after, she said her first known lie (she "believed" Mab was infected like Aurora), which we wouldn't know was a lie until Cold Days.

Slow burn on some things.

I can see this.  Especially since the whole solstice thing didn't really work out.