Returning the Video

I rented this video last week and it seemed like the world didn't want me to return it. Everything happened to cause me to delay the return of this video. Let me tell you what happened.

I woke up Wednesday morning thinking of the things that I needed to do today. The only thing I could think of that really needed to be done was to return a video that I had rented a few days ago. So, I got out of bed and tried to have breakfast.

"Mom, where's my cereal?"

"Oh, I'm sorry son; your little sister ate the rest this morning. Maybe if you had awoken earlier sleepy head, you would've gotten a good breakfast."

"What else is there to eat?"

"Toast."

So much for breakfast. Since there really wasn't anything good to eat I decided to take a shower.

"I'll just take my shower."

"Oh, the water's been turned off."

"WHAT? WHY?"

Was this really how my day was going to go? Well at least I would be able to get of the house, even if it is just to the video store. I didn't even let my mom answer my questions.

"Can I at least borrow the car to take that video back? It's due today."

"I have to go into the city today, why don't you ride your bike?"

Great!! It is like a million degrees outside and my mom wants me to ride my bike. Well, if it's all I've got. So, I went to the garage to get my bike ready. And having just recently acquired my driver's license, I hadn't ridden my bike for quite some time. Guess, I better make sure I can ride the thing. A quick look at it I noticed it need some work, but I should be able to ride it. So, I changed into a more suitable outfit for public and headed down the street.

So far so good right; that's what I thought. I get all the way to the video store and realize I forgot something. Yup, that's right, I forgot the whole reason for going to the video store; the video.

About half way home I notice that my front tire is a little low. Then it just goes flat. I check out what might have caused it and find that there is a nail. Guess I should have checked before I left the house. Not much I could do but walk the rest of the way.

I get home and tell my mom what happened. Although I thought that she would be gone by now, since she had said she was going to the city. I could have taken the car and been back by now.

"Son, don't forget your keys. I'm leaving; see you this afternoon."

I grabbed the video and left in a hurry; forgetting my keys. As I approach the first big intersection I can see that there is a big accident. I think to myself, better not go that way.

The detour will only set me back a few minutes, if that. Was I ever wrong! First of all I went down a street that dead ended. I headed back the direction I came and saw a street I could turn down. Things were looking up until I dropped the video case and it fell open. To my shock it was the wrong video.

"Could my day me any worse?" I really was like the world or some cosmic power didn't want me to return this video today. I knew if I returned it tomorrow I would have to pay a late fee but I wasn't going to give up. That video was going to be returned today. I was determined to get this task done. Even if it took all day.

I turned around and started heading home, once again. As I got closer to the house the words that my mom said to me rang loudly in my ears, "Don't forget your keys."

Just one more thing that I had forgotten. I decided to try all the doors, to see if my chance someone had forgotten to lock one. It took about ten minutes before I tried the side garage door. BINGO!!! Then it took me another forty minutes just to find my keys and another five to get the correct video.

I decided that since it was almost lunch time I would make myself something to eat. A deli sandwich sounded good, until I looked in the fridge and found that there was no lunch meat, I repeat no lunch meat.

So much for that idea. Once again my day was derailed. I thought to myself I guess I better leave and get this video make to the store before anything else happens. As I left the house I noticed that the neighbor's dog was out, but it usually likes me. Not today.

I ran like there wasn't going to be a tomorrow. I guess it got tired or something because about three blocks away I finally turn around and he wasn't there. I'll I had to say was, "Whew."

I was coming up on the intersection that had had that big accident and it was all clear. Good, because I didn't want to have to take a detour. No more detours for me. I was about two blocks from the video store when a car pulled up and the prettiest girl in school said, "Hey want to go to a pool party right now. All the cool kids are going."

Oh, my goodness. I was being asked to a popular kid's party. Things were looking up. Wait; I can't I have to return this video. But it shouldn't take me very long to return it. I mean once I get there I'll I'm going to do is hand it to the worker and leave. Easy.

"Can I get back to you on that? I gotta return this video for my mom."

"I don't know. After the party we are all going to the hottest club in town to hang out. If you don't want to go to the pool party met us there."

"I'll think about it."

Wow, did I just do what I think I just did. I sort of blew off the prettiest girl in the school. What is wrong with me? I know what's wrong; I've been trying to get the stupid video back to the store.

Well, back to the task at hand. Then I would think of the party. Okay so I am two blocks away and one of the weirdest things happens. A construction crew starts to set up for road construction. I think well they are probably just getting there and they won't mind if I just walk right through. Wrong.

"Hey, where do you think you're going kid?"

"I just need to get to that video store down the street."

"Sorry, you're going to have to find a different way."

Please don't make me take a detour. If this guy only knew what I had been through, what I am currently going through, I'm sure he would've let me pass. I finally told myself that to get this video to the store I would have to make sacrifices, so I turned around and headed the direction I came.

It took me roughly twenty minutes to get around the construction guys in my little detour, but I made it. Now I was only a block away. Too bad this was the longest block in the town. This was the block that all the little shops are on. The one where you feel like you're at a fair every time you walk past. Yeah, these people really want the business. They will stand outside and talk to you as you walk by. Saying things like, "Come on in and see the latest gizmo" or "Candy, we've got lots and lots of Candy."

It sometimes creeps me out. It especially did today. The one day that I really don't want to hear any of it is the day the just drag you in and say, "BUY OR ELSE."

So, by the time I got all the way down the block, I had about six or seven bags of who-knows-what. That's when I realized I left the video in one of the shops. Man, I have to go back through all of the stores. It must have fallen when one of the older ladies grabbed me and pulled me into her shop.

I tried all the shops but one. I really didn't want to go back in that shop. I actually didn't get anything from that shop. I readied myself and went in. The gentleman that owns that shop was just standing there holding something out in his hand. As I got closer I realized he had been waiting for me. But as I reached up to take the video he said, "You forgot to purchase an item before you left."

What was I supposed to do? You guessed it, purchase something. I looked around the room thinking to myself what is the cheapest thing here? Finally I got something and got my video back and was on my way.

All I would have to do is walk across the street and place the video in the hands of a worker and I could go home. And that is exactly what happened.