My roommate’s TV has a DVD player attached. Very fancy.
And we watch movies on it all the time.
And lucky for me, my friend Betsy has a Netflix membership. So on rare occasions, I ask to borrow one of her movies.
In fact, I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve ever done it.
So Betsy let’s me borrow This American Life: Season 1. I’m blooming an addiction to This American Life, via podcast and video. Not that that fact has anything to do with anything, but it is still true.
So I watch the DVD, laugh, think, tear up, etc. And I’m ready to take it out and mail it back.
But the DVD won’t come out.
In fact, when I push “open”, it doesn’t even make any type of whirring sound. It is flagrantly ignoring my request.
After a few days of punching the TV, using other DVDs to attempt to lure the renegade out, and repeated pleas to the heavens, I gave up.
I saw myself stuck in a vicious cycle of mediocre customer service.
I hung up and called a repair guy.
Just to bring the TV through the door is SIXTY DOLLARS IN US CURRENCY.
I think I laughed out loud.
I hung up and called Betsy.
3 minutes later, I’ve logged onto Betsy’s Netflix account and after a small $14 donation for their kind services, I’m now the proud owner of This American Life: Season 1.
If we return it within a year, Betsy gets my $14 back.
So you guys have got 360-ish days to help me get this blasted thing out of the DVD player.