No ID, No Idea, Part 41

It is 1988. I work part-time in a video rental store. This is before most people own VCRs — Video Cassette Recorders, the prequel to the DVD player — and in addition to renting movies, we also have several VCRs for rent for an extra $3 per night.

We are ALWAYS swamped. There are signs on the outside of the store, on the front doors, on the counter, and a particularly large one hanging directly over the counter where I stand, saying, “Two forms of ID are required in order to rent a VCR.” Usually, a driver’s license and a credit card will do. It makes perfect sense because if we just hand them out without ID, then people could just take them home and never bring them back. I can’t tell you how many times I have this conversation.

Customer: “I need a VCR but I don’t have my ID with me.”

Me: “Well, how far do you live? I can probably hold it for a few minutes if you’d like to run home and get your ID.”

Customer: “Can’t you just let me have it tonight? I promise I’ll bring it right back in the morning.”

I have really gotten fed up with all the stupid questions when one night, a particularly stupid customer just cannot get it through his head that I can’t just “let him” take the VCR without providing any ID. He finally yells at me:

Customer: “Fine! You’ve just lost a customer!”

Me: “You know? I think we can live without your $3 dollars.”

I turned around and rented it to the next person in line, who DID have two forms of ID.

Related:
No ID, No Idea, Part 40
No ID, No Idea, Part 39
No ID, No Idea, Part 38
No ID, No Idea, Part 37
No ID, No Idea, Part 36