I miss what this lady is doing. The ponder. The grabbing of three movies then putting back two. The drop in your stomach when you reach behind the display box to grab the DVD...but there was no DVD. Time to head to the counter and ask if it was in the return slot. You know, like in the last five minutes? Can you check again??
I don't miss the (inevitable) late fee.
I've found a replacement and it's called your local library. If you are like me and accidentally saw the pro-rated amount you pay in your local taxes for your library (!), you may be looking for new ways to use that sucker.
DVDs are neatly arranged in their own boxes, so if you see it, then you've got it. There are DVDs of full seasons of TV shows, like Mad Men or Game of Thrones. There are brand new movies, like Gone Girl or Boyhood. And there are all the oldies, from West Side Story to The Talented Mr. Ripley. Most rent for $1 or $2.
There are also tons of magazines to be checked out for free. Our library won't let you check out the current edition but you can have at all the older ones. I've left with five Oprahs and five Vanity Fairs over a long weekend we were going to be lounging by a lake. There are also super niche-y magazines you may want to peruse, like Log Home Living or Tropical Fish Hobbyist.
Now, you just have to remember to return them on time.