I hadn't rented a movie for nearly 4 years. To be honest, I hadn't even thought of renting a video in the past four years. A quick glance at my DVD collection will tell you that any movie I like well enough to rent, I just go out and buy it. The last movie I rented was American Beauty during the fall of the year 2000. I remember it because my parents had come down to see my new house in Atlanta.

So it was with no great deal of familiarity that I wandered into Blockbuster Video last night. My only reason for going was because my mother gave me a gift card for a free rental. Oh, she wasn't being all that charitable. It was getting ready to expire, and would have gone to waste while my parents are touring the European countryside. So last night, I stepped into a video store for the first time in years.

I entered the store, which was empty save for the two employees standing behind the front counter, and headed for the back. I had a title already picked out, so I didn't waste any time. I wanted to see the remake of The Ladykillers for two reasons. One because I love Tom Hanks and two, because I had just heard of the movie ten days ago. So I grabbed the movie and headed for the counter. I didn't have a membership, so I had to get one of those. The manager, James, took my gift card and gave me a receipt. Although it cost me nothing, I could see that the regular rental fee was $4.50 for less than 2 days. I asked about late fees, and James told me that they no longer use daily late fees. Instead they just charge you another $4.50 for another 2 days. Lovely.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, I can see that I will probably never rent another movie in my life. At least not for another 4 years.

Aside: And I don't want to hear any crap from you Netflix users. It's a well known fact that Netflix is a religious cult, and it's only a matter of time before the Hale-Bopp comet returns to wisk them away to a far off universe.