in the year 2000 the BestBuy and BlockBuster Video uniforms where uncannily similar. the only real difference was the cant of the ticket stub and the brand name. blue polo- khaki pants. I finished my shift and went over to the store my brother worked at to wait for a ride home.

Me: (standing in front of the new release wall)
Customer: Can you help me find [x video]?
Me: Sorry, No. (I said politely)
Customer: (becoming visually agitated gives me a short rant about customer service) Show me where the tape is or I’ll have you fired!
Me: I doubt it ma’am.
Customer: That’s it, I want to speak with your manager!
Me: Ok, he’s a block away at BestBuy but I don’t think he’ll do anything. (I was interrupted before I could even try to explain things, coming to the conclusion that I was not getting threw I tried to walk away but she fallowed me boiling her rant into a full on yell)

Manager: Is everything OK here?
Customer: No, this kid refuses to help me. I want him written up!
Manager: (looks me up and down while trying to hide a coy smile and strikes a fake glare) Your Fired.
Customer: *dumbfounded gasp*
Me: OK, cool, see you tomorrow. (I say walking to the front of the store
Customer: (customer stutters for a bit) I didn’t mean for you to fire him!
Manager: Its fine mam, he doesn’t work here anyway.

(A customer and his young son come to the counter to rent two games. I ring them up and off they go. He comes back about 10 minutes later in a huff, tosses the games in front of me)

Customer: *angrily* “What the hell is this?!”

Me: “The games you just rented.”

Customer: *more angry* “No! I mean what system are they for?!”

(Without looking, remembering what system the dead boxes he had originally handed me were for)

Me: “Playstation 2”

Customer: “And what sytem did I give you?!”

Me: “Playstation 2”

(As he opens his mouth to say something to me, pauses, looks at his son)

Customer to son: “Where the hell did you get these?!”

(Son leads him to PS2 section. He comes back very apologetic and I kindly exchanged his rentals to the proper system)

(This takes place in the mid-2000s. The movie rental place near me does not charge late fees, but keeping the movie for over a month will result in you buying it and having your account billed accordingly. As I’m cleaning out my dorm to move home for the summer, I find a movie from them I forgot to return. It’s a movie I like and it is my fault for forgetting, so I’m fine with being charged the full price, but I still go to the store to settle my account so I don’t have an outstanding balance while I’m gone for the summer.)

Me: “I’m not renting anything today; I just want to pay my account balance off.”

Cashier: “All right. It looks like you kept [Movie] too long and have been charged for buying it.”

Me: “Yeah, that’s right.”

Cashier: “Our policy clearly states that even though we have no late fees, you’ll be charged the full price of the movie after keeping it for thirty days.”

Me: “I know; I’m here to pay that.”

Cashier: “We also call you when you’re past due to remind you before that happens.”

Me: “Yeah, I got the call and then forgot. I’m fine paying it. I don’t mind.”

Cashier: “There’s a drop-box for after hours. So even if you’re busy with class and work all day you can still drop it off. It only takes a moment, and we’re right by campus.”

Me: “I’m aware. I get that it was my fault, and I’m fine with it and here to pay off the balance.”

Cashier: “Look, I’m just trying to help you. Nobody wants to be charged full price for movies they only wanted to rent.” *finally finishes the transaction and gives me my card back*

Me: “I guess. Thanks.”

(I’m sure she’s used to people arguing with her about late fees, but sometimes people DO actually accept their mistakes gracefully.)

(Way back when they’re still a thing, I work at a video rental store. We don’t have an adult film section at all and we are trained with a scripted response for anyone who asks. One particularly busy night, I am oh, so lucky to be the one to answer the phone and get this gem of an exchange:)

Me: “Thank you for calling [Store]. This is [My Name]; how may I help you?”

(I can hear several children screaming in the background.)

Caller: “Yeah, what’s your p*rn section like?”

Me: “Excuse me, sir? Our…?”

Caller: “Your p*rn section! You know, the little room behind the curtain!”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but [Store] is a family establishment and thus we do not have an adult section.”

Caller: *getting suddenly irate* “YEAH? WELL, FAMILIES NEED TO F***, TOO!”

(He hung up on me — more like slammed the phone down — and all I could do for a moment was stare at the handset in confusion before carefully putting it back on the cradle.)

(I work in a video rental store in 2001. A lady comes to counter with a friend.)

Customer: “Do you have A Beautiful Mind?”

Me: *attempting humour* “Oh, yes. And I have lovely legs, too.”

Customer: “Oh! Have they made a sequel?”