My Provincial Life

I must lead a pretty spartan life where movie watching and video rental is concerned. The Boy, and even The Man in Afghanistan, watches many more movies than I do. My Niece is staying with me for two weeks. Even in the small town of Port Hope, she watches more movies than I do. Fairly sophisticated ones too.

After our outing one day this week, Niece and I stopped by our local Blockbuster to pick up some movies. I found a movie I didn't mind watching - Seven Swords, a Chinese epic that opened the 2005 Venice Film Festival. But I didn't know how to rent it. I said to Niece, "Psst, I want to watch this movie. What do I do? Do I take this box or the box behind it?"

"You take the one behind it. See, the one with the picture has no disks inside. The one behind is locked so people can't steal the disks inside."

"I don't think it worked like this last time I rented a movie."

"When was that?"

"Five, six year ago."

Niece glared at me, then walked away with a smirk.

At the check out, the cashier looked at my selection and said, "This movie is so sick."

"Really? What's wrong with it?"

"No, I mean, it's sick," he said with both thumbs up. Niece smiled, trying not to react. Then the cashier asked for my membership card.

"Don't you just need my name and phone number?"

"We may have once. But now we need to see your card. When did you last rent a movie from us?"

"Five, six years ago."

He stared at me to see if I was serious. Then he said, "Okay, let me check to see if you are still in our system." I wasn't. So he gave me a new membership card and we rented the movies.

Leaving the store, I realized it was probably more than five, six year ago. It's more like 15 years ago since I rented a movie from them. The last time I went in, I was with The Boy. He was two. He needed to use the bathroom...because he really had to go. I asked the store clerk for the washroom. He wouldn't let The Boy use it. I remember him saying, Our washroom is not for customer use. When I got home, I phoned the store manager and screamed at him. Since then, I have not rented from that store.

The cashier who served me this week was probably a wee toddler himself back then. The clerk who wouldn't let The Boy use the washroom is probably married now and has toddlers of his own. I sure hold a grudge for a long time. I decided to forgive and forget.

I've got the movie home for two days. I haven't watched it yet because I don't know how to use the DVD player. I have to wait till The Boy is home long enough to set me up.