Best Buy Blues

​I'm a movie buff.  I don't know everything about all movies, but when I DO have an interest in a movie (and that is a lot of them), I have traditionally sought out the store that had the preorder copy available, and secured myself a copy.

Those days appear to be ending.

I visited my local Best Buy a while ago, and was completely shocked when the movie section had apparently entirely disappeared.  I was probably standing there with my mouth hanging open long enough for a clerk to approach me and ask, "Can I help you find something?"

I replied, "Yes.  I'm looking for the movies.  Where did they all go???"

Given the question, my grey hair and beard, and the look that was beginning to surface, I could feel Old People Patronization coming.  "Well, we don't sell as many movies as we used to because of s-t-r-e-a-m-i-n-g," (it's difficult to find the font that says "I'm speaking to you like you're retarded" so dashes will have to do).

I don't respond well to this attitude, and said, "Look, I'm in IT and understand what 'streaming' is; I just enjoy collecting movies."

No, that wasn't enough, so I continued.  "Here's the deal- let's say I want to watch The Patriot, but Netflix decided that it didn't want to stock that any longer.  Let's also fantasize for just a minute that different services may be instructed and guided by the same mindset, and will eliminate what doesn't fit their narrative (SO farfetched- I know).  Now I either have to subscribe to a service that DOES have it, or I'll never see it again.  I do NOT want someone else to have that kind of control over what I can and cannot watch."

That ought to do it, though it begs for at least four more posts, but I'll stop with that point.

I left there more resolved to keep my movie collection in better condition, and quite sad, as well.  I've seen older folk rejected, refused, or just left out of things because of what they don't know, don't want to learn, or don't understand, but I've never actually experienced it until that day, and I don't think I liked it.  I've seen malls in my area torn down, restaurants close, and such, and this just adds another "you're old and irrelevant" to my list...which is growing at an alarming rate.

It also makes me a treasure of information that, without me, things will die out of existence and people's awareness.  Maybe some things can safely be forgotten- but not everything.

I need to get writing....