two patrons

middle-aged male patron at check out. i scan his card and tell him that he has a "small fine" of 25 cents on his card for an unrewound video. patron says, "oh, i think i rewound that half way...haha...maybe i could just pay you 15 cents...haha." not funny.

middle-aged sounding woman calls to renew books. she's very pleasant but vacant.

map: "could i renew my books. i have 3 that are due today"

me: "sure." i get her card number and look up her account. "you have 4 books that are due today. i'll try to renew them."

map: "four? what are they?"

i read her the titles, three times and, finally, she agrees she has four items due today. i try to renew them, but 2 have already been renewed. one renewal only.

me: "i can renew books A and C, but B and D have already been renewed. i can't renew them again."

map: "they can't be renewed? so, A and B can be renewed?"

me: "no, A and C can be renewed. they are now due january 19th"

map: "so, A and B are due on the 19th. can you renew C and D?"

me: "no, i can renew A and C, but not C and D. C and D are due today."

map: "oh, i can't make it in today, my car needs some work done. can you renew my books?"

me...lather, rinse, repeat ad infinitum.