Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Scenes from a North Bethesda Video Rental Store

Merujo: (chuckles at trailer for "Borat" running on screen at check out)

Clerk: You know, a lot of people just don't think that movie was funny. They hate it.

Merujo: Oh, I thought it was hilarious. Wrong, but hilarious. I've been to Kazakhstan, so it makes it a little bit funnier for me.

Clerk: Wait - that's a real country?!?

Merujo: Uhhhh, yeaaaah. It is.

Clerk: Wow! What kind of work do you do to go to places like that?

Merujo: I used to work in the region. I have a degree in Russian Area Studies. (mumbling) Kremlinology? Soviet Studies? Whatever that means these days. I work for [really cool international non-profit with own theme music] now.

Clerk: WOW! You know, I want to do international work.

Merujo: That's great.

Clerk: Hey - is [really cool international non-profit with own theme music] hiring these days?

Merujo: Yeah, sure. You can always check the website and see if there are jobs that match your skills and experience.

Clerk: Oh, well, I've only worked in this video store. Are they hiring volunteers?

Merujo: Um... probably. Non-profits love good volunteers.

Clerk: How much do they pay volunteers?

Merujo: Ahhhh... they don't pay volunteers. Volunteers... well, they volunteer.

Clerk: Well, I couldn't volunteer unless they paid me. And it would have to match my work schedule here.

Merujo: Good luck with that!

5 comments:

Heather Meadows said...

*DIES*

Chuck said...

Being paid for volunteering would definitely be a sweet gig, you have to admit.

Ginger said...

Let me guess...Hollywood Video? My most idiotic ex-boyfriend was a clerk there when it was still Rocky's. This guy was *proud* of himself when he showed up to work less that two hours late. He seemed to think that since the world was so indebted to him, that he didn't need to follow other people's rules, like the ones about going to work when one's shift starts. Much like Ethan Hawke's "the world owes me Snickers" character in Reality Bites. And now I'm that annoying girl who talks about her ex. Sorry.

Claire said...

Oh man.

suze said...

LOL!!! That must have been an even better conversation in person :)