Sunday, December 30, 2012

Annual Abscondments: Approbationary Apocalypse


Everybody must've figured the world was going to end this year because prime douchebaggery was underway starting only a few planetary rotations after the ball celebrating 2012 dropped. January did not work out well at all for the sanctitude of the Dominion's inventory, and it took Fernando quite the while to calm his charges' shattered nerves after the initial wave of thefts.
The Switch and Trust: One of Fernando's semi-regulars must have contracted the stupid virus, because these two bad boys were nipped only two weeks into the new year. Why she did this thing Fernando will never know, as his calls went unanswered and his inquisitory tendrils could not turn up a mailing address. Obviously she fled the country after perpetrating this most grievous of sins. Hopefully it was to someplace comparatively nice, for the movies' sake, rather than a nasty cesspit like Somalia.
Bad Santa, Accepted, Superbad, Escanaba in da Moonlight: It bothers Fernando when thieves have the foresight to select entertaining and (mostly) quality bits of property to steal. A guy came to the store and set up an account. Fernando, having learned from past mistakes, obtained his full identification for the matriculation application. The guy rented the four movies. Obviously, they were never returned. The phone number provided was a cell phone that went perpetually unanswered and whose voicemail was Generic Phone Lady saying “You have reached five-five-three-two-one-two-four. Please leave your message at the tone.” Mailing a thing to the address on the license proved fruitless, so it was with a sad heart that Fernando accepted his parting with these four items.
Game of Thrones Season One, Discs 1 and 2: The thieving came to a close in early February and the Dominion experienced a month-long respite before this caper was executed. Here is another case of a regular customer arbitrarily deciding to sever whatever positive ties he shared with Fernando. He came down and rented two of the five discs of the DVD box set and then just never returned them, ignoring Fernando's pleas through assorted methods of communication. The bizarre thing is that this man's parents rented completely different movies about a month later and one of the outer cases upon their return belonged to the second of the two discs. Fernando never asked how this came to pass because his quarrel was not with these other people, but rather with the thief whose malice resulted in the other three discs of that box set being rendered essentially useless. Fernando suspects, but is not certain, that he is utilizing his ladypal as a proxy renter but in the absence of hard evidence he can do nothing about it.
But hey, she now owes Fernando eighteen dollars, too. Pretty soon this dude will run out of people to rent for him because his circle of friends will all be on Fernando's shit list.
Chronicle, The Mothman Prophecies: Now it's late May and a teenager comes to the store. He rents these two movies and they go the way of Amelia Earhart. The sad thing is that this kid has the most common last name in the area and Fernando has no clue as to which particular branch of this overlarge family he belongs. Rather than instigate all of them (some of whom are regular, trustworthy customers who do not deserve being accused of having reared a petty thief), Fernando held his peace and opted not to call every single family in his records who shared this surname. He had extra copies of the one movie and the other one was a decade old, anyway.
Madagascar 2: Eh. It almost never rented anyway. I just can't bring myself to get worked up over this one. Oh wait, no, they went ahead and made a Madagascar 3. Fudge.
Reign Over Me: Once upon a time a young lady set up an account here. Her parents came in a few months later and rented under it. A curious inversion of the usual way things went, but none of them owed Fernando money from years and years ago, so Fernando did as bade. The movies which were rented came back about two weeks later. Late fees were tallied against the young woman's account and life went on.
The young lady came in about three months later. Fernando told her the state of things and she apologized for her elders' poor behavior. She threw a pittance on the late fee and rented the above movie which you, Dear Reader, may have inferred vanished from this plane of existence. Now she and her parents share a place on the ban list, even though the object which they stole is a ho-hum offering from six or so years ago.
The Lorax, 21 Jump Street: Okay. Fernando has a super-duper regular customer, easily in the top five of people who put money into his pocket. Fernando makes all sorts of exceptions for this gentleman on the vanishingly rare occasions when they come up, for this man is punctual in returning his movies and swiftly reigns in his offspring on the occasions when they start to get a little rowdy in the store. 
This man came into the store one day with someone Fernando had never seen before. They are speaking quite animatedly. Good customer rents a couple of movies. The other guy brings a couple of tags up. “Hey, can I rent these?”
You'll need to set up an account.” This thing happens, the movies are rented, and so forth. They don't come back and the phone number the gentleman provided was faulty. Quite.
The next time Fernando's Best Customer is in the store, our Keeper broaches the subject of the missing movies and asks if maybe Best Customer could talk some sense into his companion.
Yeah, I'll try to get in touch with him for you. You've tried calling him?”
Yeah, but the number he gave me is disconnected. Does he have a new cell or something where I could reach him?”
Don't worry about it. I'll get them back for you.”
Best Customer goes into the world and presumably makes a valiant stab at accomplishing what he promised Fernando he'd do. He returns a few days later.
Yeah, he told me that he brought them back.”
Er. But they weren't.”
The two exchange a silent look. “I'll try to get them back for you,” Best Customer says to Fernando.
That would be much appreciated.” Fernando's voice sounds unnecessarily cold, so he appends, “I'm not blaming you or anything. The frustration at being lied to by proxy grates on me.”
Best Customer departs. The movies remain missing.

At their worst, things can only get better, right? Stay positive, Fernando. Stay positive. 2013 is a bright beginning, a new adventure of sunshine and roses and who am I kidding sunshine causes cancer and dandelions are better.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Ah, No


The guy who kept a pair of movies out for about a month before returning them slinks back into the store one day not long after Fernando opens. He approaches the counter. “Yeah, I want to move the stamps I have on my card to somebody else's.”
Ah, no.”
The guy leaves.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

It Keeps on Giving


A lady comes in and sprawls over Fernando's countertop one evening. She has not been to the store in at least three years. Fernando recognizes her face but in no way recalls her name. “Hey, do you guys have a thing where I can buy a card to swipe or something?”
Fernando takes a shot in the dark as to what the woman was alluding. “You mean a gift certificate?”
No, a thing where I put money on it and somebody can come in and use it to rent stuff.”
Yeah, a gift certificate.” Fernando leans down and opens his drawer, where he keeps the blank certificates he has crafted. He shows them to her.
I don't want one of those. I want a thing where I can tell him that he can come down and rent so many movies, like eight or ten or something.”
It's certainly possible to arrange that the certificate is for a set number of rentals rather than a dollar amount. It's all the same to me.”
But I want the thing so that he can have it.”
That can also be arranged. He (whoever “he” is....) can just bring it in with him when he comes in.”
How much would ten bucks be good for?”
Ten dollars in rentals, thinks Fernando to himself, but the words he says are, “That would depend on if he's renting new releases or older ones. The new ones are three-fifty a night, the older two dollars.”
How's he supposed to keep track of that?” she asks, dread of mathematics lacing her voice.
He wouldn't need to. I can take care of all that.”
Okay. Make it ten bucks then.”
Fernando fills out the gift certificate to the proper amount and takes the woman's money. “Did you want an envelope with that?” he asks.
No. I ain't paying for one.”
...The envelope is a free courtesy.”
Oh. Then yeah, whatever. Gimme one to stick it in it.”
Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Yes, Really


A lady comes into the store one rainy evening. She had rented out two new releases a few days earlier. “So, these are a little late.”
Fernando reclaims his property. “Did you want to kill off the late fee on them now?”
Yeah, sure,” she says, pulling out her money satchel. “How much is it?”
Fourteen dollars.”
The woman looks at Fernando in shock. “You're kidding me.”
Afraid not.”
I don't see how it could be that much.”
You did have them out for five days.”
That's just stupid. There's no reason it could be that much.”
Fernando shrugs. “Were I to have charged the full rental amount for each additional night rather than the somewhat lesser amount which I do, your total would have come to thirty-five dollars.”
Jesus. I just forgot them in my car for a few days and now you're charging me fourteen dollars,” she grouses as she digs out money.
Fernando does not mention to her that it's not his fault that she neglected to return the movies in a timely manner. That would be crass of him.
She throws a ten and a five over the counter at Fernando. The paper flutters to the floor. “There's your fourteen dollars.”
Mmm.
Fernando stoops to retrieve the money. “Indeed.” He makes the dollar in change from the till and passes it over to her. “Have a pleasant evening.”
His politeness and responsibilities to this wretch of a customer exhausted, Fernando returns to his computer without a backward glance. The woman sees herself out.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Stamping Out Fairness


Semi-regular customer comes in on a Tuesday. Customer rents four movies. Customer provides Fernando with a card to stamp. Fernando stamps it two times.
Customer is disconcerted by this. “Hey, why did you only stamp it twice? I got four movies!”
That was unanticipated. “Stamps are not given for rentals which are free.”
That's dumb.”
Not really. It's always been done this way.”
It's not fair.”
If I gave stamps out for free rentals, I would find my income depressed in rather short order. People come in fairly often to take advantage of my various deals and customer incentives, and I do like being able to buy Munchkin sets and food, among other accouterments of lesser importance.” Customer can find no response to that, so he leaves.
Maybe he just had a bad day and thought arguing with Fernando would be a good way to relieve his frustration? Who knows.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

A Dialogue


Hey, do you have Ted?”
No, sorry. That doesn't come out until next Tuesday.”
Why don't you have it?”
I believe I already answered that.”
No you didn't.”
I do not have it because it is not yet next Tuesday and I also have not yet mastered chronomancy to the degree that I can travel forward in time at a rate faster than everyone else around me, thereby allowing me to attain Ted early. Sorry.”
Oh.”

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Transmitido en Español


Fernando has just returned from his back room and is about to begin eating his dinner. A vehicle pulls in. This irks Fernando, for he very much does not like being watched when he eats and he feels rather peckish at the moment, and with his luck the people who pulled in will dick around the store for half an hour and leave Fernando's meal sublimely tepid and in need of a re-microwaving.
The chimes jingle and a small army of six people enter. Their ages range from 20-something to eight or so. Five are male, with one female around the age of 10 or so. Strangers one and all, wearing camouflage overcoats and hats, Fernando is not made enthused by their presence.
The oldest among them speaks. “Hola. ¿Cómo estás? One of the other boys, teenaged by the looks of him, chortles.
Bien, pero no sé por qué usó la palabra 'estás.' Yo no conozco ustedes, y ustedes me no conocen. ¡Pero bienvenido a la País de Video!”
Utter silence. The young man who addressed Fernando in the Latinate devil tongue looks at our hero in dumbfounded awe. Chortles McChortle's mouth has dropped open.
Fernando looks around at these strange people. Life had taken a less wearisome turn, it seems, for there was trollish fuckery to be doled out. ¿Que pasó?” he asks.
Holy shit, I didn't expect you to actually answer, man,” says the twenty-something guy.
¿Por qué no?” Fernando asks, using what he recalls from Spanish 202: Intermediate Spanish II to the utmost. The last time he had utilized Spanish to any meaningful degree was when he visited Italy during his study abroad, back in the olden days before Fernando had real adult responsibilities. There is a great and amusing anecdote involving the biggest bitch Fernando has ever encountered wrapped up in his travels to and from Naples and Pompeii, one which he shall perhaps share with the world at some juncture. As for now, all that needs to be said is that Fernando's amateur Spanish served as an incredibly useful supplement to his infantile Italian among the older people with whom he dealt. For comparison, the zenith of his Italic mastery is represented by the time he bravely changed around a few words in the timeless query “Where is the bathroom?” when he asked a young woman in Pompeii, “Dov'é l'scava?”
The nice lady answered him in English, bless her heart forever.
Leaving behind that overlong anecdote, the twenty-something then asks Fernando, “Um, what do we need to set up an account here?”
Fernando responds to this in English, mostly because he doesn't know the Spanish words off the top of his head. “I need you to fill one of these out,” he says, pulling out a membership application. “And I'll need to see your driver's license.”
The guy does not put up any argument, perhaps because he remains intimidated by Fernando's facility with tongues. By this time, the rest of his crew had spread out into the store, browsing to their hearts' content. They select a couple of older-ish movies (Straw Dogs and Just Go With It) and bring the tags up to the counter. Twenty-Something, whose name, Fernando learned, was Benin, has filled out the application to Fernando's satisfaction and listened attentively as the Keeper shared with him the rules which governed the lease of the Dominion's inventory.
The rental slip was completed, money exchanged hands, and the six strangers left the store slightly less stranger-some than when they had entered.
¡Hasta luego!” Fernando shouts to them as they depart.
Despite the fact that these six seemed to be itinerant slayers of deer, they returned Fernando's movies on time. Small victories.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Against All Odds


A guy, his girlfriend, and one of his buds enter the Dominion one fine day. The couple is a newish member of Fernando's congregation, having begin using the Dominion's services perhaps a month prior. Fernando has had no trouble with them. The bud is just a guy who tags along with them.
The boyfriend member of this triumvirate approaches the counter. “Hey, how many stamps do you need to get a free one again?” he asks, producing a stamp card approximately four-fifths of the way to the vaunted free rental.
You need to get to ten.”
Well, do you think you can stamp us for the last time we were in, when we forgot to bring our card? That should get us there I think.”
This seems like a reasonable request to Fernando, who was (by necessity) present during this transaction three days prior. He does as the gentleman requests and the card reaches full capacity.
Awesome, thanks,” says the man. He and Girlfriend and Bud stream out into the store and decide that tonight's film du jour will be The Woman in Black. “Free, right?” Boyfriend asks, despite Fernando having made this clear a minute or so ago.
Yes indeed,” Fernando responds. He fills out the rental slip, retrieves the movie, all seems well. Being as it's a Friday, he then asks, “Receipt or popcorn?”
Wait what?” Boyfriend asks.
It's Friday, so you're welcome to a complimentary bag of popcorn to go with your complimentary movie, if you like.”
Fernando's clarification only served to further muddy the waters of comprehension. “Hold on, what?”
So Fernando does the song and dance he has done before on the options which are made available to customers when popcorn is involved. After all is explained, the three share a look and Girlfriend tells Fernando, “No, I think we're good, thanks.” They depart.
However, in all the tizzy and confusion, Fernando neglected to take the full card into his possession. This seems like it should be no problem, right? After all, he can just ask them to turn it over next time they are in, or to destroy it if it is not with them. There is no reason to mistrust these people who have never given Fernando cause for worry before.
The following day Boyfriend returns along with the movie. He is on his own, only in to drop it off. “Thanks much,” Fernando says when he sets the case down upon the glass of the counter. “By the way, I accidentally forgot to snag your guys's card when you were in yesterday. You wouldn't happen to have it on you by chance?”
Uh...no,” says Boyfriend.
Okay, that's fine. Just tear it up or something, or bring it in next time.”
Yeah, sure,” he says, though his voice has an odd lilt to it, the sort which belies the existence of facts which are meant to remain obscured. He departs.
The day after that, Bud comes in. “Hey man, can I rent under Kiribati's name?”
Yeah, sure,” Fernando answers. “You're in with them often enough.”
Cool.” He sets something down on the countertop. “Can I use this then?”
It's a full stamp card! O, contrivance!
Uh,” Fernando says, using his fingers to slide the card over to his side of the counter. “You guys used that last time you were in.”
No, this is a different one.”
Really now.”
Yeah.”
Weird.” Fernando lifts the card up to the light, peering intently at it. “It doesn't look like any kind of forgery.”
This confuses Bud. “What?”
Oh, I'm thinking to myself, 'How could you guys have gotten another stamp card when I only ever gave out the one to you guys?' I mean, nothing's outside the realm of possibility, what with quantum probability and all, it could very well be that another full stamp card for this particular store spontaneously generated after I asked that the old one be destroyed. Really odd.”
Um...y'know what, never mind. I'll go talk with Kiribati about it.”
Okay, sounds good. I'm going to remain in awe of this marvel of creation. Maybe I'll buy a nice frame to keep it in.”
Bud leaves.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Overthought


 “What's a good comedy that came out recently?” a woman Fernando estimates to be in her 30s asks one afternoon.
Well, I've got The Campaign, with Will Ferrell. I've heard fairly decent things about that one. Um...other than that, Magic Mike is still doing rather well, That's My Boy if you're into Adam Sandler--”
What's the one you said before?” the woman asks.
The Campaign?”
No, the magic one.”
Magic Mike. Yeah, that one's right here.” Fernando escorts the lady to the case's location, proudly sitting at #2 on the Dominion's Top Ten Rentals shelf.
She inspects the case for a moment, turning it over to read the back. “Okay, I'll take this one.” Fernando snatches a tag from the case and fills out the rental slip like every other time this has happened over his half a decade of working at the place. The woman pays and, since it is a Friday, Fernando asks if she would like popcorn. She declines his offer and departs.
It is now the following day at around 6 PM. The sun has long since vanished from the sky and it is pitch black outside, for the moon is new and shadow cloaks all the land. A vehicle pulls up directly outside of the store, blocking the windows through which Fernando sees the world and cold seeps into the Dominion to torment the feet of its Keeper.
It's the woman from the day before, with the movie. “This movie, oh my word,” she says to Fernando. “It is the worst thing I've ever seen.”
I'm sorry?” Fernando says, somewhat confused. While Fernando has not seen this film, not being particularly enamored of attractive shirtless men shaking their thang all over the humpty-dump Idon'tevenknowwhatI'mtryingtosayanymore, he trusts in the reviews he has read about how the demographic of the American population which finds such things to be of interest thinks the movie is a great and wonderful thing.
Yeah, it was really lewd.”
Fernando is not sure how to best respond to that. He tries repetition. “I'm sorry. I thought the case makes a pretty decent, um, argument as to what the contents of that movie would be.”
No, I thought the case was that way in order to entice people to watch it.”
Well, yeah. It's a movie about male strippers. That's what's on the front of the case, and I'm pretty sure the back also refers to their profession as such.”
Yes, but it's misleading. I didn't think the movie would be that bad.”
...It's a movie about male strippers. Strippers who happen to be males, not the other way around.”
The woman sniffs. “I just don't think you should be renting that out to anybody else, is all. I know I'll be telling people to avoid it.” She leaves.
On the one hand, Fernando lauds the woman's willingness to call into question the blatant salesmanship that is built into the pictures and words on the covers of each and every DVD case, to the point that she disbelieved a movie advertised to be about the antics of male strippers was not, in fact, about the antics of male strippers. On the other hand, the movie claims to be about the antics of male strippers. To not include male stripper antics in a movie which advertises male stripper antics seems like a horrible business decision that would alienate the people who wanted to see it for that reason.
Fernando calls the whole thing a wash.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

End of an Era


Fernando made the mistake of ordering Bloodlust Zombies from his distributor about a year ago. He is not an infallible man in selecting which DVDs may populate the Dominion, despite what everyone seems to believe, but this seeming error worked out most splendidly in the end, for that movie had one of the highest returns on investment out of anything he's ever picked up. A sizable number of the people who rented it reported misgivings to Fernando when they returned, but none of them blamed Fernando for their choice. Deep down, they knew the fault was theirs. Bloodlust Zombies just wasn't the film for them. It is the metaphorical crooked pot forever in search of its matching lid.
One day Fernando is combing through his inventory in search of things to stick in the Adopt-a-Movie Box, for the Great Film Migration will soon be underway and he needs to find space for all the movies about to be shunted to the far corners of the store. As Fernando sifts through his cases, he stumbles across his old friend, the worst zombie movie anyone's ever seen.
He picks up the case and studies it. Alexis Texas is there on the cover holding an ax, spatters of fake blood strategically obscuring any naughty bits that might otherwise have been visible through her so-white-it’s-translucent shirt. While Bloodlust Zombies had done its part in fattening Fernando's pocketbook, the sad fact is that no one had rented it for the past four months or so, and it was not exactly a paragon of film history that needed to be kept at the store for posterity.
People misunderstood it. Fernando himself was guilty of this prejudice, he realized after it was far too late to change things.
A metaphysical tear trickles from the corner of Fernando's eye as he contemplates the difficult choice he faces. Finally he says the dreaded words he knew must be said: “Yeah, it's time.” Maybe they provided some small measure of comfort to this poor, unfortunate victim of his ruthless culling. He tucks it under his arm alongside Conviction, Rabbit Hole, and a few others. They're all placed into the Adopt-a-Movie Box with superlative reverence.
One of Fernando's regular customers comes in a couple weeks later. “Hey, I see you've restocked the box here,” he says while Fernando processes the rental tags he'd brought up to the counter.
Indeed so. It's a pretty broad variety this time around. I pulled a lot of them from the ass end of the new release racks.”
Hey, I don't think I ever saw this one,” the man says, pulling one of the cases out. Fernando is around the corner in the depths of the office retrieving movies, so he does not immediately see which movie the man has retrieved. “How much for these again?”
Four bucks,” Fernando answers as he returns to the realms of light and happiness.
Cool. Add this one on for me then. Four bucks isn't that big a loss if it happens to be astinker, right?”
Fernando now sees which item his customer is considering for purchase, and it is indeed the world's most not-zombie zombie movie. “No, no it is not,” says Fernando, who takes the case, places the disc inside, and relinquishes his ownership over one of the Dominion's most infamous fixtures.
If you truly love something, you need to be willing to let it go. Sometimes things need to move on, to spread their wings and travel to lands unknown and to see sights as-yet unseen. Fly on, Bloodlust Zombies. Share your special brand of happiness with everyone across the land. Give others the blessing of your inestimable company. Find your crooked lid videophile soulmate.
I will always treasure the time we spent together.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Consolation Prize


The phone rings one evening, an evening which coincides with the opening day of hunting season. The caller ID reads “Out of State.”
Fernando picks up. “Hello, Dominion of Movies.”
A male voice on the other end says to Fernando, “Yeah, do you have any Playbox 64s?” Off in the background, Fernando can hear someone else trying and failing to stifle giggles.
Oh, alright. A prank call, is it? Fernando can deal with that and up the ante besides. “No, I'm sorry. I did just get a new shipment of Coleco-Dore Odysseys, though.” Fernando lowers his voice conspiratorially. “We're talking some serious hardware here. I mean serious.”
Wh-what are you talking about?” It doesn't sound like the young man wants to play any more, now that he has awoken the slumbering dragon of improvisation, grown over countless sessions of D&D.
Fernando has, however, found his stride. “This is the shit used to run ballistic missile simulations, man. This is the shit used to guide ballistic missiles! Top of the line stuff I managed to get smuggled in from Best Korea, yaknowhatI'msayin?”
Dude, we just want to rent some games.”
Yeah, but I'm offering you something better than games. It's fucking immersion.”
The young man finally finds some improvisational fortitude and challenges Fernando's fictional assertions. “What kind of games you got for it then?”
Oh, you know. Nuclear ballistic missile stuff and first-person shooters. You like Red Dawn? With this you can play Red Year! It also comes with Tetris.”
The hell...?” Fernando hears the background voice say.
Now, I can't let this go for a mere pittance, no, but I like the cut of your jib. You seem like an upstanding and trustworthy kind of guy. Come down and put down a two hundred dollar, non-refundable deposit, and I'll get you one of these state-of-the-art systems as soon as possible.”
We could just come down and get it right there,” says the first voice, thinking he has caught Fernando in a tapestry of untruths.
This is not so. “What do you think I am, stupid? I'm not giving myself radiation poisoning by keeping the systems on-site. What do you think they run on, C batteries? Please. You come down, put in your deposit, and we will continue negotiations at that juncture. Remember, the code-phrase is, 'Uncle Rufus loves sudoku.'”
Fernando hangs up, his mission accomplished to his great satisfaction.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Finger Play


The lady who rented Season of the Witch a while back returns to the store. Perhaps she is a masochist on the level of Fernando, who knows? She carries with her a full stamp card retrieved from who-knows-where, but since Fernando is not aware that anyone is forging stamp cards it must be legit. She selects a movie, FDR: American Badass and brings the tag to the counter. This woman has not learned anything about selecting movies with an iota of quality, because this movie is pretty close to Bloodlust Zombies-level horrible.
It still inexplicably rents. Fernando imagines that beer consumption helps out in that respect.
Yes, I've got a free rental,” she tells him.
Fernando counts the stamps on the card to ensure all is in order. “Indeed so.” He writes up the rental slip and retrieves the disc. Once he passes it over to the woman, she opens up the case and takes it out. She immediately starts rubbing her fingertips over the disc's underside, leaving smudges of finger-detritus everywhere. As she does this, she addresses Fernando in the haughty manner of which only the irrepressibly self-entitled are capable.
I want to make sure this isn't scratched or damaged, like the last one. I would prefer that this one plays right.”
Well, a good way to do the opposite of that is to smear up the underside of the disc with your fingers.” Fernando takes the DVD from her and fetches a cloth and his disc cleaner to undo the damage she has wrought.
Hmph,” she sniffs as Fernando wipes away the filth.
When he finishes he replaces the disc in its case. “There should be no problems with this one.” He passes the disc and case back over to her.
We'll see,” she tells Fernando, then leaves.
Since Fernando did not receive a passive-aggressive note with the disc the next day, he assumes that his prediction carried through.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year


Ah, November! Two-fifths of trees are dead, one's feet are frozen upon waking up in the morning, and everybody's favorites, the hunters, return after a year of absence!
A strange gentleman clad in camo jacket, camo pants, and a bright orange hat comes into the store one afternoon. His beard is scraggly and ill-kept, a sure sign of somebody who doesn't do facial hair except when that queer hunting season custom dictates it. “Hey, what's it take to rent from here?” he asks.
I need you to fill out one of these-here applications. I'll need to see your driver's license.”
Sure thing, no problem.” Huh. Normally they put up a bit more fight.
The application is completed and the guy meanders out into the store. He comes back with four tags. “How much would these cost?”
Considering it's rent-one-get-one-free today, only seven dollars.”
That's for one night?”
Yes. Did you want them for two?”
No, I think I can manage. When are they due back by?”
Tomorrow, seven PM.”
Yeah, I can do that.” The rentals are leased for one evening and life goes on. Fernando is not too optimistic he'll be getting any of them back, though. He felt that tingly aura of incompetence coming off the guy while speaking with him. The movies being rented were not that impressive, however. The best of the bunch was by far The Muppets, but the other three were forgettable and derivative R-rated comedies that could be substituted for just about any other R-rated comedy without any noticeable change in quality or content.
The movies go unreturned, and when Fernando calls the cell number the man provided on his rental slip (one which Fernando had no reason to believe would not work considering it was within the same area code), he hears the cheery sing-song lady announce, “This number has been discontinued.” Fernando does so love when he is right, even if the victory is as Phyrric as anything in life.
We fast-forward a week. A strange young woman comes into the store. “Hi, I'd like to set up an account here.”
Sure thing. I just need you to fill out an application, and I'll need to see your driver's license.”
She sets to work and hands over the completed application in due course. Fernando gives it a look-over.
The address seems rather familiar to him.
Hold on a second,” he tells her. He retreats into the depths of the office and digs through his records. Well well well. What a coincidence.
She looks somewhat apprehensive when Fernando returns to the counter. “You know Albania?” She does not immediately answer. “I see,” Fernando continues, “The good news is that you are not him, but if you should happen to see him, let him know it would be appreciated if he were to come down and chip away at his late fees and perhaps return the movies he's got out.”
Um...which ones were those?”
Fernando produces Albania's rental slip from his ban-list pile and copies the fraction of his inventory described thereon to a sheet of paper using his absolute best penmanship. “If they should happen to turn up, it would be nice to get them back. Now, these come to four dollars altogether.”
Fernando's missing movies were in the drop box the next day. The amount of the attached late fee remains unaltered.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Web of Lies


The phone rings one Friday evening around six. Fernando picks up. “Hello, Dominion of Movies?”
Yeah, do you have that new Spiderman movie in?”
The Amazing Spiderman, ah. The copies of the film in question are in Fernando's keeping, just not in. “No, actually that comes out tomorrow.”
You don't have any there now?”
Even if I did, I couldn't let you have it. But tomorrow is not far off. Did you want me to hold one for you for then?”
Nah, don't bother. I just wanted to see if you had it there tonight for me.”
Oh. Alright. Yeah, tomorrow's when it comes out.”
Yeah. Bye.”
Good-bye.” And that should have been the end of that.
Saturday followed Friday as is often the case and Fernando's copies of The Amazing Spiderman vanished in short order. Around four in the afternoon a young man enters the Dominion. He heads over to the new release rack, investigates it for a few seconds, and then comes up to the counter.
Yeah, you got any copies of Spiderman in?”
No, sorry. Those all went out today. I'm expecting them back tomorrow, if you'd like me to hang onto one for you.”
No, I wanted to come down today and pick one up.”
Sorry. I can't help you with that.”
What the hell, man? You said you'd have it in tomorrow yesterday.”
Oh, this was that guy. “Rrrrright? I also asked if you would like for me to hold a copy for you for today, and I was told not to.”
I didn't know you did that.”
What in fucking fuck? Do the words that Fernando says no longer have meanings comprehensible to the bulk of humanity? “Yeah...that's why I made the offer yesterday. Would've been pointless and silly otherwise.”
Oh.” The guy looks down at the glass of Fernando's counter for a short while. “I'll be back later, then.”
Alrighty. Have a good evening.”
Fernando remembers having to take listening comprehension sections on standardized tests back in his elementary and high school days. Do they not do that anymore or something?

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Repo Man


A guy who has rented at a store numerous times in the past comes in one day and takes out two movies, The Avengers and Five Year Reunion. This happens in the beginning of October.
Responsibility left the building for a good long while and Fernando eventually wrote the movies off as stolen. He appended them to the Annual Abscondments for the year and everything.
Then, amazingly, they come back in early November. The young man brings them up to the counter. “Hey. What's my late fee on these?”
Fernando rises and takes the movies into his custody, ensuring that they are in their cases and undamaged. Then he answers, “Eighty-eight dollars.”
This flummoxes the man. “What? I thought you stopped late fees at twenty bucks!”
No. I stop them after two weeks. These were out for about a month, but I stop the late fees after two weeks.”
Yeah, but I brought them back. That's gotta count for something.”
It does. Now the late fee is only eighty-eight dollars instead of one hundred and thirty-eight.”
I can't believe—I should have just fucking bought them outright!”
Fernando makes a noncommittal sound. No words he could say would change the facts of the situation.
The man clenches his fists and raises one arm. “You...fuck.” He lowers the fist and storms out.
Have a good evening!”

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Biological Warfare


A young woman and her offspring enter the store one evening. She is a couple of years Fernando's junior and possesses a male child aged three or four, certainly old enough to put together coherent sentences. Said boy escapes his mother's grasp and heads up the aisle which opens on a direct course towards the office and just comes on in. The kid runs up next to Fernando's file cabinet, looks him square in the eyes, and proudly announces, “I just farted!”
His weaponized methane payload delivered, the boy gambols out of the Dominion's office and rejoins his mother. Fernando thinks nothing of it, then a short while later thinks everything of it.
Small things like cats, dogs, and children do not seem like they should have the physical capability to create such otherworldly stenches, but they nevertheless issue violations of all that is good and just in the world from their anuses.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Restructuring


Hello. I am Nicolai Dobokov, taking over for Fernando Stevens. He is tied up at moment, secured in chair for own safety. Suffered nasty head blow. Am here as spokesman from Domain of Films to talk about recent restructuring done on thirty-first October.
Night before, on thirtieth, Nicolai, Vladimir, and Boris come into store late at night to rearrange aisles, create caves for children's movies and horror to better corral any capitalists if time comes to remove them. Other aisles rotated and spaced apart to make hourglass floorplan instead of previous aisles. Labor takes maybe forty minutes. Many husks of Defense Arachnids fall from between old shelves where could not be reached by Fernando.
Sleep happens, morning comes. Nicolai puts on fancy three-piece suit, adjusts tie, goes out into world to set things up. Heads on social media outlets to announce changes at Domain of Films but not too many changes. Also makes note that trick treats can be had for boy and girl American children and big pot of beef stroganoff has been prepared for adults.
Resnov arrives not long before opening, helps Nicolai put on finishing touches to grand reopening. Has stroganoff, says it is delicious. Of course it is delicious. Nicolai made it.
First customer of day is man returning movies rented night before. He enters Domain and Nicolai says, “Привет!”
Man looks at improved layout of store, looks at Nicolai, places movies on countertop and leaves. Does not even make chance for offer to eat stroganoff.
Little while later, phone rings. Nicolai looks at call identification, sees is woman customer in Fernando's logs. He picks up phone. “Hello?”
Woman hangs up. Okay.
Next person does not come in until after Resnov must leave for other obligation. Is affable older gentleman which Fernando reveals during question has told him stories of time in Korean Peninsula. Nicolai greets him same way as first man.
Second gentleman looks at Nicolai with surprise, then says, “Well howdy howdy. You're looking sharp today!”
Am always sharp. Is job to look sharp. I am Nicolai Dobokov, managing supervisor of Domain of Films.” Nicolai extends hand and the two men shake.
Managing supervisor, huh? Who are you managing for?”
Elite organization. You are here for renting of movies?”
Oh, you bet! Do you still have two-for-one today?”
Is good plan from old owner, no need to terminate. Good way to retain custom.”
Well, alright!” The old man goes out onto floor, searches through new labyrinth of shelves. Finds movie SuckerPunch. “This one looks racy.”
Is not what cover shows. Not really, anyway. Actually has plot deeper than shallow pool.”
The cover makes me think it's a bunch of fourteen year old girls bouncing around in schoolgirl outfits.”
нет, is not so. You are thinking of different sort of films produced by Motherland. Are trying to crack down on distribution of those. Have standards in our work.”
Man rents that movie and three others. As Nicolai fills out rental slip, man lifts lid of crock pot full of stroganoff. “This smells delicious.”
Is beef stroganoff. Help yourself if you like. Is what's there for.”
Don't mind if I do!” The man fills small styrofoam bowl and takes bite with plastic fork. His face twists in ecstasy. “Oh my!”
Is good?”
Can I take a bowl of this home to my wife? She has to try this.”
Absolutely. Can provide bags for you to try keep from spilling. Here, I tape second bowl over first too.”
Man leaves and things are happy. Then trick treat time starts and group of four adolescent American children come into store.
Trick or treat!” they say all as one. They make double-take when they see Nicolai standing behind the counter, looking resplendent.
I see good costumes. You are having candies? Take two, if like!”
Wow, thanks!” They scrabble through Skittles and Milky Ways and Paydays. One young man notices pot of stroganoff. “What's that?”
Beef stroganoff. Is delicious. You want some?”
He looks at pot longingly. “I'd like to, but my mom would kill me if she found out I ate strange food.” Boy in question is fourteen or fifteen years old. When interrogated in back room later, Fernando says he totally forgot that children in America are discouraged from eating unpackaged food during Halloween. In Russia, trick treats are bottles of vodka and if child dies from mercury poison, is God's work. Nicolai does not know this cultural difference. Fernando allowed to keep toenails as result of cooperation.
Is sad times. How sneak razor blades into stroganoff? Would be obvious! Poison also bad idea because do not get return customers that way!”
Four young Americans laugh and leave. As they go, one girl in group says to other girl, “That guy is awesome!”
Да. Is truth.
More trick treaters come into store as time passes. Most of them look upon Nicolai with mixed awe and happiness, for they find accent endearing and stroganoff delicious. Group of three boys come in for trick treats dressed as Batmen and Jokers. One says to Nicolai, “Hey, can we rent all the Batman movies for free?”
Hmm. Is worth considering. Let me think for moment on this. Meanwhile, have candy or stroganoff.” They do and more culinary joy is spread through Nicolai's cooking.
This shit is amazing,” says Joker-boy.
Thank you. Is nothing much.”
How did you get it to taste so good?”
Practice and skill. Nicolai has many talents. You need man killed? Am not so good at this, but can send word to Vladimir or Resnov. Payment is reasonable, satisfaction guaranteed.”
The three share uneasy look. “Um...we'll think about it.”
Good. Should still be here when you decide.”
While this happens, Nicolai goes on social networking site now and again to post updates on glorious revolution at Domain of Film. Woman comments on one update with words of surprise: “What???? Who owns them now!?”
Nicolai responds in similar way as with older man from before. Other people who are fans of old Dominion comment as well. One girl by name of Luisa asks questions of Nicolai which are awkward for him to answer. He cannot say too much, else will experience question and answer session like Fernando in back room.
Other girl named Adonia expresses concern that customer base will find Domain of Films hard to remember if place called Dominion of Movies so long. Nicolai responds that conversion is simple, like sensible metric system instead of capitalist Imperial clusterfuck. Dominion of Movies becomes Domain of Films. If other group like Italian mafia or yakuza come in sometime, will probably rename place Realm of Videos.
Short while later, first woman from before responds again. Nicolai is not sure if serious because she claims to have known back-room Fernando “very well” and threatens Nicolai with “ppl” that she knows, then says Nicolai is unwelcome in town. Is very bad spelling and grammar. English Nicolai's second language, but what is woman's excuse? Nicolai does not understand this hostility! And why cannot civility happen? Civility more profitable than murder most times. Cannot make deals with dead men, only mail body parts to immediate family for intimidation factor. Also, Nicolai goes through Fernando's logs, learns that woman who claims to be best friends with man in back room has never been to store. Bizarre.
Close to end of night, two pretty girls come into Domain. Are wearing workout clothes like have just come from gym. Nicolai greets them in proper Russian way and they look at him and make mad giggle sounds. “Oh my god,” says one of them. “You're for real?”
Am not imaginary, and have not drunk enough vodak for you to be imaginary either. Can help you find something?”
Um...do you have The Hunger Games in?”
Certainly. Have heard stories played of hunger games before. Good comrade once sent to gulag and forced to survive harsh Siberian winter eating twig-and-snowmelt stew cooked on cooling bodies of people who died night before. Came back changed man.”
Girls look at each other. Taller one of pair covers her mouth with hand and gasps, “Oh my god, you're amazing.”
No, am Orthodox. You speak truth otherwise though. Would offer you stroganoff, but all eaten earlier. Is sad, because was very good.”
Tall girl laughs. “You should totally do this every day.”
These words confuse Nicolai no small bit. “I do. Is not like I am different person day to day. Have had discipline beaten into me with rusted iron rod since age of two. Sent out to woodshed once when four. Smart enough not to need second time there. Howling of wolf and bones from last child there taught me.”
Nicolai lets girls also take some trick treat candy. Are dressed up as people coming home from gym after all.
At closing time, Nicolai shuts blinds and locks door, then goes into back room to write this report to send to Motherland about feasibility of keeping grip on store. Hopefully will hear back soon.
До свидания!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Suit Night

One day in September Cortez, Ronaldo, Teodor, and Alfonso got it in their heads that they should spiff up the weekend D&D session. They got out fancy pants and suit jackets and ties and wore such attire out into the world. When they arrived at the Dominion for pregaming, they sauntered in like nobody's business, making a beeline for Fernando's forbidden back room.
Naturally, the customers in the store at that time asked a great many questions of Fernando, mostly in the vein of, “Why did four men in immaculate suits just enter your store like they owned the place?”
Fernando, ever caddy, responded, “Uh, um....”
Are you okay?”
This question of concern fostered an idea in Fernando's mind, a fine way to pass the time and make excellent use of an upcoming occasion. “Oh, yeah. Yeah, I know those guys.”
This puerile reassurance seemed to be enough, for the questions ceased and the transactions completed with no further ado. D&D time arrived, bones were rolled, and afterwards Fernando said to Ronaldo, Cortez, and Alfonso (for Teodor had to return home with utmost haste), “So, I have a plan.”
Fernando would remain the “face” of this operation, but it remained important for his companions to assist him in fostering its verisimilitude, a task with which they all agreed. Fernando undertook a great campaign through the social media outlets to which the Dominion was attached, dropping hints as to the nature of this great plan. He procured material components for this masterwork spell he planned to weave and practiced the verbal aspects as well. Everything progressed as desired, and the day draws nigh.
The plan is to unfurl on the final day of the month of October. The face of the Dominion would not be the same.