The DVD Seller
By: Salitha Nirmana Meththasinghe
Tags: This Happened To Me, Life Lessons, Kindness, Nonfiction, Life

It’s been a year since our family settled in the city and a lot of external aspects related to my life have changed. Having been a newbie to the business and a stranger to the city, I’m totally satisfied with the level my tutoring career has reached within a year. Tutoring sessions and college stuff keep me busy all the time and my mental health conditions give me a pretty hard time when it comes to juggling both things. Burnouts have become a regular thing and I’ve temporarily quit medication since it keeps me in a sedated state when I’m on them.

These circumstances prevent me from visiting my friend frequently as I used to do but still I try my best to purchase something from him at least once a month. However, when I cross the town, unconsciously I always tend to check whether he is in his usual spot even if I didn’t get to talk to him. Maybe my fondness for the movies and their seller causes that.

It’s 2017 and the whole world has been anticipating the release of the action thriller John Wick: Chapter 2. As usual, I miss the screenings in the theatres and looking forward to getting my hand on a good copy of the movie. It’s May and four months have passed since the release of the movie.

One evening, when I’m heading home after work, I go to his corner of the sidewalk looking for him. But he is not there and surprisingly, it’s a Sunday. People like him barely miss doing business at weekends because that’s when they can sell more items. However, a busy week is ahead of me and that means I’m going to have to hit the city more often. Eventually, I’ll have the chance to see him.

For the next few weeks, I keep looking for him but strangely, there is no sign of him. I even ask about him from the nearby stores and they don’t even have any clue about his absence. I curse myself for never saving his number on my phone.

Is something wrong? Or has he quit his movie-selling job for something more profitable?

I cook various scenarios in my head.

Fortunately, my worrying ends in the next week.

I’m on my way back to the city center after visiting one of my teachers in the hospital. It’s about 10 AM in the morning but despite the cool weather, I begin to feel thirsty. I’ve decided to take a few days off for the sake of my mental health. Sometimes, it’s pretty difficult to function without the pills. But when I’m on medication, I merely do anything rather than lying on my back most of the day.

I walk into the restaurant, order a chocolate milkshake, and sit at my usual table. From where I’m sitting I can see the spot where my friend does his business. Even today he is not there and I haven’t bought the movie from anyone else either. I have the rest of my life ahead if I need to watch John Wick 2. But I want him to receive that small amount of money I’m willing to spend on that.

“Where has this guy disappeared to?” I silently ask myself. Someone puts my order on the table but still, I’m lost in my thoughts.

“I think young people shouldn't do this much overthinking.” A familiar voice brings me back to my senses. I look at the lady who just brought my milkshake. That’s when I recognize her.

“How are you doing, sir? Long time no see.” She sits on the chair opposite mine.

Honestly, I feel so glad to see her. Sometimes, there is no better way to unwind rather than having some female companionship. Her glittering eyes make me think that she is pleased to see me too.

“Rashmi, what are you doing here?” I don’t want to hide my surprise. I rest my eyes on this extremely attractive lady who makes me feel at ease every time I’m with her. Having been a shy person, I wonder what magic she works on me. Maybe that’s because she is older than me in two or three years. For the record, I’m 26 at the time.

“Oh! I never had the chance to tell you before. This place belongs to my uncle. He and most of his crew have attended a wedding today. So, he wanted me to take care of business for one day.”

“Well, that’s news to me.” I take a few sips from the shake.

“And, sir, I almost forgot. Last week I received my IELTS results. Guess what? I had nailed it.”

I honestly feel happy for her. But I do my best to remain stoic.

“Actually, it barely surprises me and I tell the same I used to tell before even today. Even before I started doing classes for you, your English was pretty good. But there was this irrational fear that made you think that you wouldn’t be able to go through IELTS on your own. However, as a teacher, you can’t even imagine how happy I am to hear the news.”

She smiles and looks at my half-finished drink. “Tell me if you feel like trying one more drink. And it’s on the house.”

“Thanks. But I’m done for today.” With few more sips, I finish the stuff in the glass.

“So, do you come here often?” She asks looking into my eyes.

“Of course, this is where I dine when I’m unable to hit home for meals in the day.”

“Too bad.” She gives me a teasing look. “If my uncle had known that you are my teacher, he would never have charged you.”

“Do you want your uncle to go bankrupt?”

She laughs it off and waves to a small child who just entered the restaurant.

“Truly, sir, what were you thinking before I got here?” The seriousness of her tone catches me off guard. “Are you still off your medication?”

“Actually, it’s not something about that. Have you ever seen the guy who sells DVDs in front of this place?”

“What about him?” She doesn’t show any special interest.

“Well, I didn’t see him for a while. It’s been about a month but nobody knows why he isn’t here anymore.”

“Well, people have their own reasons.” She says leaning on the chair. “Besides, this is not stone age. Do some digging and you’ll find out something.”

I sense something unnatural. Usually, this is not the woman who takes things too lightly. She is rather the person who does everything in her power to make others feel better.

I observe her face very carefully. I don’t like reading people and I’m not good at it either. But in this case, I feel that she is trying to hide something.

We stare at each other for a few moments and I feel my mouth takes the shape of a silly smile. In the end, she gives up and burst into laughter. And I need no further invitation to join her.

“Okay. I give up.” Finally, she begins to talk dancing her eyes. “You are right. I know where he is at the moment and I know how to contact him. And I could tell you that right now but I need something in return.”

“Sure. What’s he up to?”

“Be patient, sir, let me finish.” She winks at me. “There is this newly open Chinese near the police station and the food is awesome. Promise me you are gonna join me for dinner tomorrow and you’ll get the information.”

Her request makes me cringe. Of course, I’d do anything to spend some quality time with her but stuff like dinner dates are out of my comfort zone.

“Deal. But on one condition.”

“And what’s that?” She raises her eyebrow. Maybe she thinks that I’m trying to figure out some way to avoid going on a date. After all, she knows well that it’s not my thing.

“From today onwards, please call me by name. I’d be eternally grateful.”

She gives me a look that says something like “please don’t show off your modesty.”

“So, can I take your word for that? And of course, I’ll remember your request.”

“Be my guest,” I say with hope.

She gets up and picks the empty glass on the table.

“Let me fetch him.”

“Fetch him? What do you mean?” I want to make sure what I heard is not wrong.

“He is in the kitchen helping the chef, my good sir,” She teases me.

I look at her in disbelief. Needless to say that I never saw that coming.

“Gotcha.” She says triumphantly after staring at me for a couple of seconds.

Later, after I got to meet him he lets me know what caused his absence. His business has been below average for the past few months and despite his wife being a self-employed seamstress, they’ve faced many difficulties when it comes to making the ends meet. Therefore, within the past four weeks he went AWOL, he has worked as a helper to a mason. But after that project ended he's found this temporary gig in the restaurant until he figures out something.

His words make absolute sense to me. Most of the people are getting used to downloading movies or using VOD to watch whatever they desire. Even I, myself have recently started to appreciate the Blu-ray format more.

“So, does this mean you are never gonna do the old thing again?”

His answer is quicker than I expected.

“I’m never gonna drop that thing, sir, after all, I’m a movie junkie myself and I love the community. But I won’t be able to do it often like before.