we go to blockbuster a lot.  sometimes we are looking for rentals, sometimes for cheap deals on previously viewed stuff.  the other week i bought unbreakable, chasing amy, clerks, wonder boys, l.a. confidential, and hands on a hard body for just twenty dollars.  andy searches for 24-hour party people every time we go.

usually, i start out looking at the new releases, from A to Z.  even though Z is closer to the store entrance, i have to start with A, always with A, otherwise it just isn’t right.  andy follows suit, usually vetoing when i say, “i’ve always wanted to see that!” and point to the dangerous lives of altar boys, to the good girl, to secretary.  he wants to see the piano teacher, and so do i, but they only have it on dvd.  often, andy wants to see movies we’ve already seen before, and so do i, but i veto those because it feels like a waste.  it takes us a long time in the video store, and we haven’t even thought about snacks yet.

(i don’t have a dvd player, which sucks.  i could probably afford one if i saved a little, but then if i did, i’d buy fifteen-dollar dvds all the time, and not have money for food or gas.  my vcr works to my advantage in the video store, though, because when a new release comes out, the dvd copies are all gone, while the vhs ones sit there waiting for me!  me!  related question: will we ever start calling them disc stores instead of video stores?  discuss.)

there are, of course, the joke suggestions, like “40 days and 40 nights!”  “ooh, how bout i-spy again!”  “what do you think about lone star state of mind? it’s got that guy from dawson’s creek!”

“sordid lives, ‘a black comedy about white trash.’  let’s get that!”  andy picks up the box.

“no way!” i say.

“oh, come on!  it’s got olivia newton-john, beau bridges, delta burke!  the list goes on!”

he’s got taste, that andy.