Death By Snoo Snoo!

Back in the days of video rental stores, I had this exchange with a customer. A trailer for one of the many Iraq War movies was playing on some of the screens. The trailer included a scene where a prisoner was being waterboarded by some shady government types.

A customer was staring up at the trailer and then started speaking to me. My manager was standing next to me but didn’t immediately interact.

Customer: “I wonder if that kind of thing actually works?”

Me: “What kind of thing?”

Customer: “When they motorboat the prisoners to get them to talk.”

Me: “When they… what now?”

Customer: “When they motorboat the prisoners to get them to talk. You know, like that.” *Points at the TV*

Me: “That’s… not what that is called.”

Customer: “What did I say?”

Me: “Motorboating.”

Customer: “What was I supposed to say?”

Me: “Waterboarding.”

Customer: “What’s the difference?”

Me: “Well, one is torture, and one is… not.”

Manager: “But both can suffocate you if you do it for too long!”