17. Have A Good Night!
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Working at Blockbuster, circa 2003. When checking people out, there were two things you’re supposed to do. 1: read the titles of the movies and give the due dates. 2: tell people to have a nice day/night after handing them their movies on the other side of the security gate.
So a guy comes in with his two kids on a busy Friday night. He has a few children’s titles and an adult flick. I ring up the videos and tell him the due dates of the kid movies and say, “The other one is due _____,” trying to save him a little embarrassment.
I walk over to the security gate to hand him the videos where I’m planning on telling him to have a good night, but he’s still at the register.
Confused, I look at him, and he says, “Aren’t you forgetting something?” I think through the Blockbuster process and can’t come up with anything. He has an indignant look on his face and says, “You’re supposed to tell me to have a good night!”
I’m pretty stunned that a grown man is so reliant on the well wishes of an eighteen-year-old, especially since I would’ve given him what he so desperately needed if he’d walked over to the security gate.
So I say, “Sir, I’m so sorry. Have a great night. I hope you enjoy your copy of…” I look down at his VHS tape, then look at everyone behind him in line and raise my voice, “MARRIED PEOPLE, SINGLE!”
He turns bright red, and the lady behind him covers her face. Sorta feel bad for his kids getting caught in the crossfire, but there are always casualties in war.
