My second story -- a fast foward in time from the first. This is a true accounting...
Metroland is an area free weekly for the Capitol District in New York. The last pages, the ones my eyes always diverted to, were for adults. One stood out. It was a video store. It advertised private booths and free tokens with the ad. After many more weeks of Metroland, I finally got the guts to go. I knew what a video store was. I had been to one when I was in high school during the summer in Times Square. I am 41 now. Times Square when I was a kid was not like the Disney World it is today. It was all about sex, stolen goods, and street vendors. I should write about that sometime.
I found the video store easily enough. I was relieved that the front entrance, on the sidewalk, was not for entrance. The real entrance was in the parking lot. I didn't live too far from the store, still, I was paranoid about being seen. After all, I was married (and still am!!). I walked in and did the "new to the videstore" thing. I walked around as if I was going to buy something until I eventually got to the counter. I had no idea what to do. The clerk, a middle-aged guy, just asked, "video booths?" I said yes. He said $3.00 minimum. I gave $5 and the ripped out ad and got eight big, gold coins back.