Video Store Memories

I was thinking of submitting an entry in The Zeroboss’s Blogging for Books, but I haven’t been able to come up with any really bad work experiences. Well, expect for what I’ve been going through, but that is more a psychological problem with me then a problem with the job.

I got my first job when I was 14-years old. That is the youngest you are allowed to work in Canada. I had actually been “helping out” before my birthday, but I was officially hired the day after. The job was at the local video store, just down the street from my house. My mom had been working there for about six months, and when things got busy she would call me down to do returns and such. Shortly after, she became the manager at another location, and I eventually moved down there too. She worked for the owner for about three years, but I stuck around for a little over seven. I never got a raise above minimum wage, but I was given a lot of responsibility for such a young person.

I did have some bad days. I mean, who doesn’t? The one that still sticks with me has to do with the movie Silence of the Lambs. When it came out there was a lot of interest in it, and many reservations. One lady who had it on reserve, and called around 5pm to see if it was in. It hadn’t come in, but I let her know that she was the next person in the list. The woman totally lost it. She must have yelled at me for almost 15 minutes, telling me she had guests coming for dinner and that she had to have this movie. (Whatever happen to conversation, anyway? What is the point of having a guest if you are just going to watch a movie?) Now, I have a young sounding voice, so she must have known she was talking to someone quite a bit younger then her. That’s probably why she felt she could go off on me like that. Anyway, I eventually got her calmed down and got off the phone. As I hung up, someone returned a copy of the movie to me. I took a deep breath and called her back. As sweet as pie I told her that her movie had just come in that reservations are held to 8pm. She sheepishly thanked me, and sent her husband in to pick up the movie!