So I got home from the office about 8:30 last night, dumped the bag containing all the stuff I lug back and forth every day to keep myself occupied on the bus during my (roughly) 3-hour roundtrip commute (yesterday's contents: The New York Times, The Financial Times, Reading Lolita in Tehran, Beginning French for the Utterly Confused -- don't laugh at the title, this is one of the best beginning language books I've ever used), fed Chloe the cat, and then walked across the street to my local Barnes & Noble bookseller to see if they had Oz Season 4 in stock. Checked the DVD New Release table. Nada. Checked the "Television Shows" section. Rien. Was about to walk out of the Music/DVD room in disappointment when a salesclerk asked if I needed any help. Here's our conversation:
Him (maybe 22, with a scraggly mustache/wispy beard clearly meant to make him look older): May I help you?
Me (considerably older than 22): I was wondering if you have the Oz Season 4 DVDs. They were supposed to be released today.
Him: Yes, we have it. It's one of the things we keep under the counter. Did you want to buy it?
Me: (Bemused) Yes, I do.
So he literally reached under the counter, pulled out a shrinkwapped package, and handed it to me. I paid and walked out of the store, the latest proud owner of Season 4.
Now, what struck me the most about our little exchange was the whole "under the counter" thing. That's what stores do with porn magazines to keep them out of the hands of kids. That I understand. Magazines can be flipped through and things not intended for young eyes can be seen. But a shrinkwrapped, tastefully packaged DVD? Does this make sense to anyone? Now I'm starting to wonder what else they hide away under the counter ...
I'm very excited to have the DVDs, even though I won't be able to start watching them until this weekend. For me, who hasn't seen any Oz beyond the New Year's Eve kiss, it's like oz_magi morning all over again. I know everyone who's seen the show is excited about the deleted scenes on this DVD set; multiply that excitement level by at least a factor of 16 and you'll get an idea of how I'm feeling today.
I don't even mind being at the office. :-))))
- Current Mood:
ecstatic
- Current Music:Sting -- "Shape of My Heart"
Comments
And that's so bizarre that they keep Oz behind the counter. My copy was on the shelf with all the other videos.
It may just be this particular store. I know Tower and Virgin would keep it out -- hell, Virgin keeps everything on display, porn included. I'll have to check out some other B & N's, and also Borders Books.
I'm just so happy to have found it with no trouble. I've been reading some of the posts over at TS, where people are complaining about ordering Season 4 months ago and still not having received it.
I can cry at anything so, yes, I've already stocked up on tissues.
ANd I'd love to watch it with you. Damn me for being so far.
I wish you could watch it with me too. How long do you have to wait to get your own copy?
Okay, same question I posed to castalie yesterday. Does your DVD player read Region 1 disks? If it does, I'd be delighted to pick up a copy of Season 4 and send it to you.
Let me know.
But don't bother sending me one copy; I'll have mine eventually.
but I'm feeling envious because seeing season 4 for the first time is just... Mwah.
cheers,
bree
( I seem to be making a lot of strange rambly comments today, I wonder why )
Season 4 Oz actually cost less than I expected. Barnes & Noble had it discounted by 10%, and then with my 10% Reader's Advantage discount on top of that I ended up paying only about $56. I just paid $100 for Season 1 Carnivàle (12 episodes).