Reiteration

Rainy Saturdays are the best Saturdays because that type of Saturday brings a great deal of custom to Fernando's Dominion. One evening on such a rainy Saturday a woman enters the store.

“Oh, cool, Bridesmaids,” says she, reading Fernando's Weekly Releases Whiteboard. She enters deeper into the store and finds the film's location on the new release rack. At this point, because it's been a rainy and incredibly busy Saturday, all of Fernando's copies have been rented out already by other people.

She makes a show of browsing for a minute or two, then comes up to the counter. The woman tells Fernando, “Yeah, I'd like Bridesmaids.”

“I'm sorry,” answers Fernando. “I'm fresh out of them for the night. I can hold one for you for tomorrow or some other time, though, if you'd like.”

“No, I'd like it for tonight. Tomorrow doesn't work.”

“Well, like I said, I can't help you. All of my copies have already come and gone.”

“So you don't have any sitting back there right now?”

“Afraid not.”

“You're sure?”

Fernando glances over his shoulder to the drop box, empty at the moment. “Positive.”

“That's not one there, is it?” the woman persists, pointing at a case resting upon Fernando's desk near the computer.

“No, actually. It's Hanna. I'm holding it for someone to pick up later.”

“And you're sure you don't have any back there?”

“If I did, believe me, you would know about it. I like making money on movies and I can tell you have a great interest in seeing it. There'd be no reason for me to troll you, not to mention myself, by keeping it hidden and hoping that someone would come in and rent it later.”

At this point Life, having just heard the word “troll,” decides Fernando needs additional annoyance in his routine, as someone pulls up to the store and dumps a few movies into the drop box. Fernando's customer, a relentless optimist, jumps to the conclusion she most desires. “Is that it?” she thunders.

“I doubt it,” answers Fernando as he goes to check. “Nope. Rio and True Grit. Care for either?”

“No. I wanted Bridesmaids,” she grouses. Then she leaves.

Too bad you can't always get what you want.