Blockbuster Boycott

So the other day, I watched a movie with a friend at my house. She rented the flick from Blockbuster, and then left it here for me to watch again if I chose, provided I'd return it.

Well, because the brain atrophy has already begun, I forgot about the damned thing until two weeks later (WHEW on the whole late fees thing!), and then when I fetched it for return, I realized I had NO CLUE which store she'd rented from. No hill though, because the big BB has a catchy "return your movies to ANY LOCATION" policy, right? Well, apparently not. I went to MY location (although I hardly feel justified in calling it that, since I signed up six months ago and was actually retrieving my otherwise unused membership card now) and found a few movies for me and the crew, and tried also to return the one my friend had rented.

Here's what followed:

ME (to store clerk/Manager guy): Hi, I'm not sure which store this came from, but I can return it here, right?

Store clerk/Manager Guy: Well, you can, but it's really best if you don't.

ME: Uh, ok. Is it no longer allowable?

Him: Oh no, it's allowed. It's just best if you take it back to the store it came from.

ME: Um, right, but I don't know which store that is.

Him: Here, let me check for you. Oh, it's the College store [Note that one's on the farthest end of the other side of town from me]. You really would do best to take it back there.

ME: Ummmmm, o k. So I'll also be needing these

Him (Interrupting me mid-sentence): I'll need your ID or your card, please.

ME (continuing with my freaking sentence): ... but I need to pick up my membership cards first.

He then proceeded to stare at me blankly for a few seconds before saying, "Your ID?" in a beligerent tone that told me in no uncertain terms that he was positive I must be retarded.

I sighed, handed him my ID, and then waited for him to scan, verify, check, double-check, and then REMAKE AND LAMINATE my cards, which should have been there waiting for me! After they were spat out of the laminator, he slung them across the counter to me and told me my total, only all he said was, "$18.56." I paid the jerk, took my movies, and left, pissed off even more than I might otherwise have been because of my absolute certainty that he was totally unaware of the numerous Customer Service NO NOs he'd just committed, and also fully ignorant of the fact that I was NOT happy, a state easily recognizable by the ample facial expression and kinesthetic evidence I so generously provided. Niiiiiiiice.

So today, I called the people over at that store, and inquired as to whether or not it was still acceptable to drop movies rented from store X at store Y. I was told again that it was best not to , but at least this time I got a reason. The branches aren't connected to each other, so what goes in at store X may not always get counted for store Y, so my account might be charged incorrectly. Um, so not only are they staffed by discourteous nimrods, but they're also so behind the times that they can't figure out how to put a rudimentary network into place? Not what I'd call confidence-inspiring!

Fuck Blockbuster, and fuck their stupid "Return Your Movies ANYWHERE, as long as you don't care if they actually ever show up on your account as having been returned," policy! I'm on BED REST!

Netflix actually comes to the door.

HMPH!