Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Open Quests

A middle-aged woman enters the store one weekday afternoon and browses for a bit. Then she comes up to the counter and asks, “Do you have any VCRs?”

Fernando looks up from doing his monthly sales taxes. “Er, you mean VHS tapes or the actual players?”

The tapes.”

I've got a few milling around yet, but I'm phasing them out because the only way to get the players is secondhand and they don't release movies on the tapes at all anymore. I've got a rack of them up for sale if you want to take a look. They're a buck apiece, or six for five dollars.”

Oh, okay. Thanks.” And the woman shuffles over to the VHS sale rack while Fernando returns his attention to matters of taxation. A few minutes later, he hears the woman reapproach the counter and he again turns to face her. She sets a single tape down.

Could you hold this for me? I'll be right back.”

Sure thing,” says Fernando, who places the VHS tape in question behind the counter. Then she exits the store.

Fernando waited two days for her to return before putting the movie back on the sale rack.

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