just another day

It was a cold, icy evening and despite Timothy's valiant efforts, there wasn't a copy of At World's End for rent anywhere in the Algonquin area. Defeated by a legion of more ambitious movie-renters, he went home to begin crafting the culinary masterpiece du jour.

Sam and Lex approached Blockbuster with confident caution.

"Didn't Timothy already try this one?"

"Ya, but I'll bet he didn't pray."

Lex throws caution to the wind and both hands in the air as she petitions heaven for favor. Sam's eyes lock on the temporarily abandoned steering wheel, as if by sheer will power holding it steady.

"I'll cover you," Sam advises.

"If I'm not back in 15 minutes come around the back way ..."

Safely inside, Lex scans the New Release wall. N's ... O's ... R's ... back up. Only #2 on the wall. Why? Why? Oh ... there's a section designated for #3 - far away from the P-section. "Whose idea was that?" she wonders sarcastically. "How did you not see the big, cardboard banners?" she answers herself.

Data processing begins as she stares at the small section of shelves trying to discern where the rent-able ones go, which are strictly for sale, and which are #2 in the #3 section because it's Shopping Season. Satisfied that the rent-able #3 shelves are void of all hope, she files through the rent-able #2's with lightning speed and feline agility. Nothing.

Undiscouraged, she sets her sights on the front counter. As she approaches, the line comes into view and discouragement knocks gently on her heart. Mais non ...

She waits. Someone at the counter is apparently trying to order a cheeseburger at the video store. Nothing else could take so long. Finally, she's next in line. The moment of truth draws near and all she can hear is the crescendo of her heartbeat in her ears.

Trying as best she can to appear calm and at ease, she notices a man walk in the front door and directly to the counter. The intruder interrupts the adolescent employee taking care of another customer and his request carries on the wind, "Do you have a copy of Pirates?"

The accelerating pace of her pulse jerks to a halt as she waits, breath trapped in her constricted chest, for the pimple's reply. Casually, as if finally released of the burden of it, he reaches to the counter just beneath him and hands the betrayer a copy. With a thump, her heart cracks and her chest draws a sharp, final breath.

Victorious and unemotional, the man proceeds to the end of the line she so patiently endured only to be mutinied. When her gaze fails to set his body aflame, she drops it to the floor and - finally - exhales, "Shut ... up."

With a deep breath, she lifts her head. Cracked, but not broken - hard pressed, but not crushed - she holds fast to the hope within her as she approaches the counter with fresh dignity.

"Do you have a question?" the young man asks, as though he didn't know ... as though he weren't a part of the conspiracy.

"Do you have any At World's End in?" He pauses his gaze on her face as though she must be joking.

"I doubt it," he mumbles as he begins the obligatory search. One stack ... no ... she gaps for a fresh breath to hold onto ... a second stack ... no ... beads of sweat begin to form on her brow ... the opposite counter ... no ... she's sure the whole store can hear her heart pounding ... he asks Acne, who casually replies with shake of his head as if he didn't know that he'd just given away the very one destined for her to an impatient line-cutter!

With casual despair in his eyes, the conspirator returns to the counter to tell her no, that her long suffering was all in vain.

Just then, a glimmer of destiny flashes through the air. At the very moment that the messenger thinks to mumble a silent prayer that the princess will be merciful, his salvation is scooped from the bottom of the return bin and held triumphantly before him. He plucks it from the air and places it casually on the counter. "Is that all for you?"

"Yes," she replies sweetly as she quietly re-sheaths her vengeance, "thank you."