I've Changed My Mind

-Ring ring ring-

“Hello, Dominion of Movies.”

“Yeah, do you have a copy of Insidious in?”

“You're lucky. I've only got one left for the night. Did you want me to hold that for you?”

“Yeah, I'll be down later to pick it up.”

So Fernando plucks the tag and sets it aside. Customers come, customers go, and more than one (two, to be exact) asks about Insidious and whether or not it is available. Fernando informs them that, sadly, all copies are spoken for tonight but that he expects them back the following day. Some of those customers (all, to be exact) take Fernando up on that offer, asking him to notify them once one becomes available.

But you, dear readers, are genre savvy, so you can figure out where things are going already, I'm sure: the guy who has the copy set aside for him never comes in. Figures.

So, the following day, Fernando calls up the first person on his list immediately after opening because, what do you know, he has a copy of Insidious on hand for renting. The person thanks Fernando, hastens to the store, picks it and another movie up, and is on her merry way.

Ah, but, as you may have guessed, there's more.

Around five an 18ish year old wearing a baseball cap sideways saunters into the store. “Yeah, I'm here for Insidious.”

Fernando blinks twice. “I don't have any copies in at the moment. I am still expecting one back tonight, though.”

“You told me you'd hold it for me.”

“Riiiiight. And you told me you'd be in to pick it up yesterday. I had other people waiting for the movie and I'm not psychic, so I went with the option that would actually make me money.”

“Yeah, but you said you'd hold it for me yesterday.”

“Precisely. That was yesterday. You didn't come in to pick it up, and you didn't call me to let me know you'd like it carried over to today.”

“I've changed my mind. I don't want it anymore.” And he storms out.

One of Fernando's regular customers who was browsing the store at the time chuckles at what had just transpired because this customer apparently found what Fernando had said to be amusing. He does not change his mind and so rents some movies and leaves.