DVD: Deja Vu Disappears

Paul asked me to return a movie at Redbox and pick up Deja Vu. I did. But somehow in the shuffle of food bags and drinks, purse, and Happy Meal box, I must have set down the copy of Deja Vu near the drink lids and straws, and just not noticed.

It wasn't until I was halfway home that I realized my mistake. I quickly took Joel and the food into the house, told Paul what happened, and headed back out to McDonald's. Of course praying all the way that someone had either turned it into management or returned it to the Redbox right there.

I entered. the McDonald's with hope. Not much, but a little. Coming out was a teenage girl who held a DVD at her side, looking sheepish. She kind of scooted past me and walked out. Nah, I would think the best. I would think she had used her own card to check out her own movie. I would think a good Samaritan had turned in a wayward DVD. So I inquired. No one had turned in a movie at the counter. No movie, as we checked, had fallen under the drink machines or the Redbox itself.

"I'll just go home and check the transactions online, " I said. "Maybe someone put it back in the machine."

"Or else they kept it," the manager said. (The same manager who doesn't check that the fries are hot and the salad is cold.) "Worst case scenario, you're out 25 bucks. That's what Redbox charges when you're 25 days late."

So I checked out a second copy of the same movie. Talk about Deja Vu!

Then I came home and checked the transactions online. Nope. It shows the two copies I rented, but not that the first DVD had be returned by some good Samaritan (or anyone else).

This may sound silly, but at the tune of 25 bucks, I ask your prayers that this movie will get back safely and timely to Redbox. I really don't mind footing the bill for even a few people to watch it on my dime (or a dollar a day), but such a seemingly small error on my part could mean parting with 25 dollars that I KNOW would be a true waste and true embarrassment to me. AFter 20 years with me, Paul is pretty forgiving. "At least it's not a hundred bucks, " was all he said.

I was thinking about getting corny and asking you to pray movie titles. "Lord, may someone Do the Right Thing so that next time Zo checks online it'll say "YOu've Got Mail" and she'll see that her movie was turned in with "Speed". Got any other kernels o' corn to add?