Another Character Tale

VHS Guy is his name. Fernando is uncertain from whence he originated. He has no relatives in the area, to Fernando's knowledge, but he has nevertheless been here since time immemorial, an immortal custodial haunt which drifts about the area sowing woe. What Fernando does know is that he once ran afoul of the law for preparing trouser calamari in public around some girls of somewhat less than legal age. This has rightly tainted his reception in and around Saladolsa. He, far as Fernando is aware, lacks a job because, well, who would hire him after such a fiasco? Instead he spends his time alone, being That Creepy Guy.

Fernando, as is well-documented, does not carry pornography at the Dominion, but once upon a time the back room was a lair for videos of an erotic nature. One of the prior Keepers removed them after outcry from moralists threatened to sink his profits, and they had never been reinstated. This never stopped VHS Guy. Back in Fernando's days serving as a register slave, VHS Guy would come to the store fairly frequently and actually rent things, always the newest ten-seconds-of-tit unrated “college comedy.” Fernando and the prior Keepers shunted dread thoughts into secret corners of their minds and took the guy's money.

Fernando has no idea how much of VHS Guy's caddishness is brought about as a reaction to the community's mistrust and how much of it is instinctual asshattery. He tried, even back then, to connive favors of the Dominion's wardens—things like extra stamps on his card by affirming that the last time he had been in the person behind the counter neglected to stamp his card, or claims that his movies (always a less-expensive older release) were dysfunctional and that he deserved to get a free rental (always a more expensive newer release). Once Fernando took over, most of his previous plans were rendered fruitless. Fernando was the only guy working, so lying that he had forgotten to stamp one's card on the previous visit is basically welcoming Fernando to unload on you with both barrels. Fernando, likewise, has all the time in the world to make sure that claims of faulty discs are legitimate, but he only does this when goaded or when he's dealing with someone whom he knows is less than trustworthy.

It seemed as though all ties between the Dominion and VHS Guy were severed after The Great Boxes of VHS Tapes Fiasco happened. VHS Guy's presence took a sharp dip in frequency and visiting the store, let alone spending money there, became a rarity. Instead, VHS Guy used the Dominion as an eatery.

Things change.