Have A Heart, Use Your Brain

Drive Up, Slide Out, Make Up
EMPLOYEES, IGNORING & INATTENTIVE, MASSACHUSETTS, PHARMACY, USA | WORKING | JULY 1, 2020
I go to my pharmacy’s drive-up window to pick up a prescription. I give the pharmacy technician my information and put my HSA card — medical debit card — in a cup in the slide-out drawer provided for that purpose.

A few minutes later, she hands me a small bag.

Technician: “Here is your prescription; your card is in the bag.”

Me: “Thank you.”

I start to drive away.

Technician: “WAIT! YOUR CARD IS IN THE CUP!”

Me: *Stops* “I thought you said my card was in the bag?”

Technician: “I made that up.”

A Dizzying Ordeal
EMPLOYEES, HEALTH & BODY, LAZY/UNHELPFUL, PHARMACY, UK | HEALTHY | JULY 1, 2020
I have had vertigo on and off since I caught a bug in 2017. I usually bed rest and it goes away after a few hours. I have a bout of it in May 2019; it’s just not going after two days and my anxiety over it is making it worse.

I call the doctor and his receptionist says as it’s an existing condition I can have a telephone consult. Two minutes after I put the phone down, the doctor calls back and says he’ll send an electronic prescription to the local pharmacy. I can’t drive. I can only just stand, but the pharmacy is seven minutes’ walk, so I figure I’ll stagger up to the pharmacy, get the meds, and then stagger next door to the tea room, take the tablets with a drink there, and wait for them to kick in so I can walk home. My friend runs the tea room and will let me sit quietly in the corner.

So, the plan is made, and after fifteen minutes of stumbling up the road with the world spinning, I get to the pharmacy and hang off a display unit for another ten minutes until it’s my turn.

Assistant: “How can I help you?”

Me: “I’ve come to collect a prescription that the doctor has just sent through electronically as urgent for me.”

Assistant: “I’ll go look.”

She disappears for ten minutes. By the time she returns, I’m almost lying on the counter as my head is spinning so much.

Assistant: “No, there’s no prescription for you.”

Me: “Can you check, please? The doctor said he would send it through as urgent.”

Assistant: “Well, if you insist.”

Me: *Through gritted teeth* “Yes, I do!”

She goes away again and comes back after another ten minutes, by which time I’m starting to feel nauseous.

Assistant: “No prescription. When did the doctor send it through?”

Me: “As I said, he has just sent it through as urgent. Just now.”

Assistant: “Why didn’t you say?”

Me: “I did.”

Assistant: “Oh, we don’t look at the electronic ones until the afternoon. Can you come back in two days?”

Me: “I have chronic vertigo. I can’t see too well, and I can’t stand up, walk, or lie down. The doctor has prescribed these as urgent. No, I can’t come back in two days!”

Assistant: “Are you insisting that you have your prescription made up now?”

Me: “You think?”

She looks blankly at me.

Me: “Yes, I am. Please make it up now or I will throw up and collapse here.”

Assistant: *Sighs* “If you insist. Can you go sit over there?” *Points at a chair behind a pillar* “You are stopping other people getting their prescriptions.”

I looked at her as if she had lost the plot and went to sit in the chair and lean on the pillar which was nice and cold on my head.

After another thirty minutes, still no prescription. I staggered over and asked the assistant how much longer it would be as it was now nearly an hour since I’d gotten there. She told me to go sit down and wait.

I stumbled back. After another thirty minutes, a different assistant came over with a clipboard and asked me to fill out a customer satisfaction surgery. I must have looked shocked and possibly homicidal at this point, as she said in a caring way, “Are you okay, love?”. I explained that I’d been there all morning waiting for my urgent prescription. She grabbed the clipboard out of my hands and dashed off. She came straight back with my prescription made up.

She explained that the pharmacist had started to make it up but had been called to the telephone. Then, it was given to the assistant pharmacist who started it, too, and then went to early lunch. The assistant I’d been dealing with had gone out on her break and it had been forgotten, and because I was behind the pillar, they had forgotten me.

This different assistant had been filling a display up, saw what looked like a dead woman on the chair, and brought over the survey as a way to talk to me. I dry-swallowed two of the tablets as she spoke, staggered home hours after I had left, and finally collapsed in bed. About thirty minutes later, the tablets kicked in and I filled the survey out in line with very honest replies.

Two days later, I moved to having my prescriptions filled by post — they come three days after you request them — and for urgent, I now send my husband.

Unfiltered Story #199825
PHARMACY, USA, UTAH | UNFILTERED | JULY 1, 2020
(A young man in his late teens or early twenties came to the pharmacy to pick up his prescription. He didn’t have enough money for them, so he called his mom, who called our store and I picked up. It should be noted that the pharmacy I work in is inside a chain of grocery stores.)

Woman: Okay, so first of all, can you take payment over the phone?

Me: No, it’s corporate policy to not do that.

Woman: Well, here’s my problem. I’m down in [City about 40 miles away], and he needs to get those. Your stores are all linked, right? Can I find a [Store Name] down here and pay for them and then have him pick them up?

Me: You mean you pay for them at a different store and he picks them up here?

Woman: Yeah!

Me: …No. You can’t pay for them at one [Store Name] and pick them up at another.

Unfiltered Story #198676
COLORADO, DENVER, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | JUNE 25, 2020
(I am waiting to pick up a prescription at a pharmacy. As I’m waiting, I hear this very loud, very off key singing. From the sound of it, it’s some kind of country love song. Looking up, I see an overweight man with ear buds walking towards me.)

Man: *unintelligible, very loud, off key singing* . . .OH MANDY!

Me: *stares, thinking this kind of thing only happened in the stories I read on the internet, and trying very hard not to laugh*

Me: *sits down and continues singing, oblivious to the stares. He continued to sing for a couple minutes before he left.*

How To Counter Their Arguments
IGNORING & INATTENTIVE, JERK, PHARMACY, THE NETHERLANDS | RIGHT | JUNE 19, 2020
I have received an email that I can pick up my medication from my pharmacist. I go to pick them up. There is only one girl in the waiting room who doesn’t even notice me because she’s absorbed with her phone.

The waiting room is for both the pharmacist and general practitioner who works in the same building. I walk up to the counter and tell the pharmacist why I’m there. Within two minutes, the pharmacist has found my medication, bagged it, and handed to me.

At the moment I take the medication and start to leave, the girl looks up from her phone and starts to rage and yell because I have cut the line and she has been waiting there for at least forty minutes to get her prescription filled.

The pharmacist immediately intervenes:

Pharmacist: “Hey, stop it. You haven’t even given me your prescription. You came in and sat down, and you were constantly busy with your phone. If you had taken the trouble to give me your prescription here at the counter, you would have been away with your medication at least thirty-five minutes ago. I thought that you were waiting to see the doctor. So, either you keep your mouth shut or you can go to the pharmacist on the other side of the city. It’s your choice.”

Apparently, this is the first time that someone has spoken to her in this way. She starts crying and stomps out of the waiting room yelling that she will never come in here again.

The pharmacist shakes his head and says to me:

Pharmacist: “Would you believe it? This is the seventh time this week that some spoiled brat pulled some stunt like this. I even had one girl who sat here from eleven until five texting and phoning and complaining on the phone that it took so long. But she never came to the counter to tell us what she was here for. I had to call her to the counter and ask her or she’d still be here. I’m going to order a big flashing sign: “’No service if you don’t tell us what you want.’ But I doubt if it will work.”

I doubt it, too, after reading the stories on NAR.

Unfiltered Story #197483
CONNECTICUT, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | JUNE 19, 2020
(The pharmacy that I work for has drive-thru service. I’m servicing a middle-aged woman, customer 1, who is on a phone call via bluetooth while I’m processing her order. The person on the other end of the line is another, louder, woman, customer 2. The first woman is trying to get her to stop talking so she can finish checking out. She’s made at least 2 attempts to get her to stop talking so I can get the necessary information.)
Me: Ok, so just this prescription?
Customer 1: yes and… [customer 2], I’m trying to pick up my order at the pharmacy. Please.
Customer 2**suddenly realizing she’s at the pharmacy**:Oh, you’re at [pharmacy name] on [address]? Can you pick up [customer’s 2 husband’s] prescriptions?
Customer 1:I don’t really have any money to pay for his prescriptions (note: she doesn’t have a co-pay through the insurance, so she wouldn’t necessarily need money to pick up her prescriptions.)
Customer 2: That’s fine, he doesn’t have a co-pay on them anyways
Customer 1: I don’t know if I can combine the orders together **looking at me** can I?
Me: Yes, I didn’t check you out yet, so I can add on his prescriptions.
Customer 1: Do you have his info?
(Customer 2 gives me the necessary personal information. Customer 1 just sort of sits back while I’m collecting the info from customer 2, giving up at trying to control her friend.)
Me: Ok, so that’s everything, anything else?
Customer 2: no, thank you! [Customer 1], thanks for picking them up!
Customer 1: **tiredly** No problem **to me** I’m sorry about her…
(The customer finally leaves, and a pharmacist who has been in the vicinity speaks up.)
Pharmacist: All the crazy people come out at night…

A Typical Good Versus Evil Story
AWESOME, CANADA, INSPIRATIONAL, JERK, PHARMACY | RIGHT | JUNE 17, 2020
I work for a popular drugstore in an upper-class neighbourhood, where customers are usually snotty and entitled. Thirty minutes into my shift, while I am speaking in Spanish to my supervisor, a customer yells at me.

Bad Customer: “I am going to call the head office because you were speaking in Spanish about me!”

After that situation, about an hour before the store closes, a guy comes to buy four chocolate bars. He pays and tells me to pick two.

Good Customer: “I saw everything go down earlier and thought you could use some sweets in your life.”

He came back just to do that. I was so amazed by his kindness.

The Babyface Will Get You Every Time
EMPLOYEES, JERK, PHARMACY, USA | HEALTHY | JUNE 14, 2020
I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder as a pre-teen and have been on meds ever since. I’m in my late twenties but have a babyface.

My doctor has just called in a new prescription for me, as I’ve run out of refills. I’m at the pharmacy and the tech has just brought up my meds.

Tech: “Oh, this is a new prescription. You have to do a consult with the pharmacist.”

Me: “That’s not necessary. I’ve been taking this for a long time.”

Tech: “He wants to speak with you. There’s a note here. I’ll be right back.”

He calls the pharmacist, an older man, over. He gives me a look and starts talking to me in a very patronizing tone.

Pharmacist: “Okay, [My Name]. Now, for [Medicine], you have to take this every day. You can’t skip this. Okay? Do you understand? Because—”

Me: “I’m going to stop you right there. I’ve had [Autoimmune Disorder] for fifteen years and have been taking daily meds for it that entire time. I know exactly what [Medicine] does and how sick I get if I don’t take it.”

Pharmacist: “But this is listed as a new prescription. You haven’t taken this before.”

Me: “Yes, I have. I ran out of refills and my doctor called in a new one. I’ve been on the same dosage for years. Check my fill history. Why do I need a consult, anyway? I’ve never needed one before.”

Pharmacist: “Um… [Tech] will get you rung up now.”

He exited. I didn’t see that pharmacist after that.

Unfiltered Story #195948
CONNECTICUT, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | JUNE 8, 2020
(Pharmacy worker here. On some prescriptions, especially high cost prescriptions or ones deemed a controlled substance, the insurance will put a block on the prescription and the phrase “Prior Authorization needed,”or PA, will pop up. This means the prescribing doctor has to call the insurance company and explain the need of the medication for the insurance company to cover the cost. It’s a hassle, especially if it’s a maintenance medication, and usually takes a few business days to clear. Though once a PA is acquired, it’s deemed good for 3-6 months, so is only really necessary a few times a year. I’m working at the register one day when this happens to a woman.)
me: I’m sorry ma’am, but your [prescription] has a PA, and we can’t fill it right now.
Customer: what’s a PA?
(I explain what it means)
Customer: So can’t I just pay for it out of pocket? How much is it?
Me: I don’t have the price, but if you go to drop-off, they can help you with that. Though the PA will only take a couple days to work, and it lasts for a few months.
Customer: So does that mean I have to call the doctor?
Me: No, we’ve already contacted the doctor, but if you want to talk to him to speed things up, that’s your decision.
Customer: Can’t you just tell me the price and I pay it here?
Me: I physically can’t process the prescription here, this is a register computer, it only does what’s filled as of right now.
(We go back and forth like this about PAs, price quotes, insurance, at least 2 more times)
Customer: But why do I need a PA for this? I take it all the time!
Me: I don’t know why the insurance company decided to, but possibly your previous PA ran out, and we just have to renew it.
Customer: So do I call the insurance company?
Me: No, the doctor should be fine. Really, it goes through in less than 3 days most of the time.
Customer: This happens all the time! They NEVER fill my PAs!
(Note: I just had to explain to her what a PA was a few minutes ago, so I highly doubt this happens as often as she makes it out to be.)
Me **exasperated and I want out at this point** then you might want to take that up with your insurance company.
(She seems to get what she wanted to hear at that point, we finish checking out her prescriptions, and she goes presumably to yell at the insurance company. The line has gotten long at this point, and the customer behind her, who has heard the whole thing, rolls his eyes and gives me a sympathetic look.)

Unfiltered Story #195926
CONNECTICUT, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | JUNE 7, 2020
(I work in a pharmacy that has a drive thru. We have 2 lanes, and while we can service just about everything from the first lane, the second lane we can only do certain things, due to size limitations on the carrier tube. Another major rule we have is that everyone has to stay in their cars in the drive thru for safety reasons. This is a Sunday afternoon, and my co-worker is servicing a pregnant woman with children in the second lane. Unfortunately, half way through the transaction, we realize we won’t be able to send the prescription by the tube, because it’s a glass bottle. Note: The first lane is empty, as the car that was there previously has jus)
Co-worker: Ma’am, I’m sorry to inform you, but we can’t send your medication through the drive thru, as it’s a glass bottle and could break. If you could just pull into the first lane, we can serve you there.
(The customer instead gets out of the car, runs ACROSS the barrier, and into the first lane. The pharmacist, listening to the exchange while she’s mixing the prescription, panics and runs to the window to meet her)
Pharmacist: Ma’am, please get out of the lane!
Customer: (annoyed) What are you talking to me like that for? But he just told me to come to the first lane.
Pharmacist: He meant to DRIVE into the first lane. It’s dangerous for you to be standing in the first lane.
Customer: Why can’t I be in the first lane?
Pharmacist: If a car comes around the corner, they won’t see you. Could you please at least wait with your car while we finish the prescription?
(The customer walks back across the lane, and waits on the barrier, but doesnt move while we finish her prescription.)
Pharmacist: For god’s sake, that psycho b**** is crazy! She can’t even really run while pregnant.
Me: Never mind she left the car full of kids unattended…
(We finish her prescription, nervously checking that there aren’t any cars coming, and that she’s staying on the barrier. She’s glaring at us annoyed the whole time, and walks up to the first window AGAIN, even though we’ve now told her twice not to do that.)
Pharmacist: Okay, here’s your [prescription], remember to shake it before dosing, and refridgerate.
Customer: You didn’t have to talk like that to me.
Pharmacist: I was just worried, I didn’t want you getting hit by a car.
(She’s still glaring at her when she finally walks away, get’s back in the car, and drives away)

A Rewarding Reveal
AT THE CHECKOUT, PHARMACY, RETAIL, USA | RIGHT | JUNE 6, 2020
I am ringing up a customer and her husband. Our chain’s rewards card gives customers the sale prices and points they can redeem like cash on purchases.

Me: “Are you a rewards card member, ma’am?”

Wife: *Makes a face* “No.”

Husband: “I am!”

He fishes our blue card from his pocket.

Wife: “Why do you have that?!”

The wife turns back to me. I am a little confused.

Wife: “I work for [Competitor]. We’re from Florida.”

Me: “Oh!” *Laughing* “Well, there are three of [My Chain] and just one [Competitor] in our city.”

I gave them directions to “her” chain, describing how close it was to the newest location of my chain; they left while discussing the closeness of the two chains’ stores to each other across the country.

Unfiltered Story #195875
PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | JUNE 5, 2020
I work at a well known pharmacy as a cashier. This happened last night before we were about to close. Note the store and pharmacy hours are different for every store. And our hours are listed on the front door as you walk in AND on our website. our pharmacy closes at 9 during the week. A customer comes in and heads straight back to the pharmacy. She’s back there for a few minutes then comes up to the cash register. She asks me to fetch a manager. Here’s their conversation.
Manager: yes can I help you?
Customer: (in an annoyed tone) yes I just wanted to let you know your falsely advertising your store hours and I don’t think that’s right. I needed to pick up some medicine but the pharmacy is closed!
Manager: well our store hours are listed on our website.
Customer: she holds up her phone for my manager to see) that’s where I was looking!
Manager: (looks at the phone) ma’am this isn’t our website. Our hours are listed on our website.
Me: and every store closes at different times. Did you look up this store?
Customer:but this says you close at-!
Manager: we can’t control what other websites say. You can only go by our website.
The customer glares at us and storms out
Me: (to my manager when the customer is gone) don’t you love it when they argue with is about what times we close?

That Flu Right Over Their Head
PHARMACY, USA, WORDPLAY | RIGHT | JUNE 3, 2020
I am a front store supervisor in a popular pharmacy chain, and part of my job is asking each customer if they need help finding anything.

Me: “Can I help you find anything?”

Customer: “I’m looking for Tamiflu.”

Me: “Tamiflu is actually by prescription only, but we have Theraflu over the counter, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

Customer: “Nope, I’m pretty sure it’s Tamiflu.”

Me: *Pause* “Okay, well, all the Theraflu is right here.”

Customer: “Yes, Tamiflu! That’s just what I was looking for.”

Unfiltered Story #195828
CONNECTICUT, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | JUNE 3, 2020
(So I work in a high volume pharmacy. We’ve recently gotten a new pharmacy manager, who is trying to problem solve our pharmacy moreso than our previous managers. One of our regulars comes in. For background, he’s often rude to pharmacy workers, and doesn’t call his doctor to get his prescriptions called in, so he either has to wait a few minutes to a few days to get his prescriptions filled which causes him to complain. This particular time, I’m not working the registers, but a newer co-worker is. He’s just told the guy that his prescriptions aren’t in yet, but we’re calling the doctor)
Customer: You guys never have the medicine in! I’m always waiting, you guys just don’t want to call the doctor. Are you trying to kill me?
Manager: Sir, we told you when you came in yesterday that this could take a few days. If you want to talk to your doctor to speed it up, you’re more than welcome to.
Customer: Where’s [male pharmacist]? I want to talk to him! (Note: our manager is female, and the pharmacist he’s requested is not in for the day; she can’t call him in to talk to a customer)
Manager: Sir, I’m the manager, and I have the doctorate that [other pharmacist] doesn’t. If you have a problem, you talk to me, not him.
Customer: Well, he listens better than you guys do, you always screw it up.
(At this point, our manager has had it with this guy as he keeps ranting about”poor service” and “us trying to kill him”. He often complains about how a different pharmacy does prescriptions faster than us, so she uses this info to her advantage.)
Manager: I’m sorry you feel that way. Do you want us to send your prescriptions to [other pharmacy chain]? Since yesterday you said that they do prescriptions quicker, maybe we should just put them there.
(Customer is obviously upset at us calling his bluff, and he’s noticabely deflated instantly. he argues a little more, not half as bad before)
Customer: You’re lucky my sister isn’t here. She’d bust you guys! ( Note: This guy is in his 50s. Pulling the relation card is nothing short of pathetic. He walks off at this point, without prescriptions.)
Me: It’s ok, that guy’s always a jerk.
Manager: If he’s not going to listen to us trying to help, he can go somewhere else. If he doesn’t want to listen, that’s his problem.
(At this point, a co-worker comes back from her break)
Co-worker: I just ran into [Customer]. He was really p****** off, what happened?
(we relate what happened to her, including the sister threat. Everyone is a bit relieved at the idea this guy won’t be coming back soon, and manager gains a new level of respect.)
Co-worker: I’m sure if we do get a cal from his sister, she’s going to be the one apologizing and transfer the prescriptions. (It’s been over a month, and we haven’t seen the guy since)

This Call Gets More Costly The Longer It Goes On
JERK, PHARMACY, STUPID, USA, WISCONSIN | RIGHT | JUNE 1, 2020
We sell reloadable debit cards. You can put $20 to $500 on a card and it has a purchase fee depending on what card you buy. I’m working the front register when this lady calls.

Caller: “How much is the purchase fee on the cards?”

Me: “It’s $2 to $5, depending on the card you buy.”

She pauses for around thirty seconds.

Caller: “Thanks… but that’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking what is the fee on buying one of your reloadable cards.”

I don’t know what to say because that’s literally what I answered. I just say the same thing because I honestly don’t know what to do. She sighs angrily.

Caller: “Thanks, but that’s not what I’m asking! I’m asking what it would cost to buy one of your reloadable cards!”

Me: “Ma’am, the cost to buy them is the amount you want to put on the card, plus a purchase fee of $2 to $5 depending on what card you buy.”

She’s silent for another minute and I honestly think she has hung up, but then she starts yelling again.

Caller: “THAT IS NOT WHAT I AM ASKING! I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT WOULD COST TO PUT $70 ON A RELOADABLE CARD! IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE F***** TALKING ABOUT, THEN JUST GET ME A MANAGER!”

I asked her to please hold and paged a manager to pick up the call. I got to watch as my manager had the exact same phone call I dealt with, and to my knowledge, the lady never got the answer she wanted.

Unfiltered Story #195033
PHARMACY, TEXAS, USA | UNFILTERED | MAY 31, 2020
A woman aged at around 40 came to pick up her prescription. I asked for the last name so I could find her in the system. It was a long complex last name, and our system requires full perfect spelling for it to bring it up. She spelled it out slowly and condensing like. I brushed it off and got her prescription from our bin. When I walk back to the counter she throws a coupon at me. I had noticed her prescription was already billed to insurance AND coupon, so I ask her what’s it for.
She rudely says “if you read it, you’d know.”
Me: “the reason I ask is because there is already a coupon applied.”
She says, “Oh, well it must’ve been automatically applied.” (That isn’t possible, we bill them like insurance and it is somewhat a long process, especially when it’s a coordination of benefits).
I say nothing to that and ask her to type in the last 4 digits of her phone number as one of our verification methods.
Rudely again, she snaps “why would I do that?”
I say: “If you want your perscription, you must verify your number.”
Woman: “Well that’s an invasion of my privacy.”
Me: “it’s to ensure the perscription goes to the correct person.”
She reluctantly agrees and she dramatically covers the pin pad all while grumbling as it as if it was a debit pin. (Note: her perscription is in my hand and it contains her full name, address, and the full phone number she partially typed.)
She then begins to make small talk as she hands me her cash. I give her the change, and she stands at the counter staring at the receipt and recounting her change for literally 15 minutes. (Me and my coworkers counted.)
Since I am fairly new, my coworkers explained that she is notorious for being rude. When she comes through drive through, apparently she doesn’t speak a single word. She just throws her credit card into the drawer and expects us to know that she’s picking up.)

Unfiltered Story #195023
PENNSYLVANIA, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | MAY 30, 2020
(I’m working in the front end of the pharmacy on the evening shift. It’s been pretty slow, and most of the customers around this time are pretty low matinence, so I’m pretty much just recalling a script.)

Customer: *Swipes his card, then begins struggling to get out his ID*

(Unless the register prompts us, we’re not required to see ID, so I interupt)

Me: “Oh, I don’t need to see your ID.

Customer: “Yes you do.” *Presents his card to me; in lue of a signature, he’s written ‘See ID’* “Personal safety, bub.”

(I humored him and examined the card and ID, and let him on his way. This ‘See ID’ thing has become somewhat common recently, but his cocky comment about ‘Personal safety’ really irked me. If anyone unathorized had actually been using his card, I wouldn’t have asked for ID. In fact, I wouldn’t have even had the opportunity to see the signature space, as the customers swipe their own cards. He’s just making it harder for himself for no reason!)

Unfiltered Story #195015
PHARMACY, TEXAS, USA | UNFILTERED | MAY 30, 2020
I work as a pharmacy clerk, checking out patients with their prescriptions. Our card readers are a little behind schedule, only being updated to take debit in 2015, and the lack of card reader for the new chips cards come with has caused some confusion. A coworker made some bright pink signs reading “Sorry no chip” and taped them over the card slots at each card reader. Despite this, customers still asked daily:

“‘Sorry no chip.’ What does that mean?”

“No chip? Does that mean you can’t take cards?”

*trying to lift the pink note and insert their card* “So do y’all take the chip yet?”

Maybe She Should Take Half The Normal Dose Of That?
FRANCE, PARIS, PHARMACY, WORDPLAY | RIGHT | MAY 29, 2020
I’m a customer, waiting to have my prescription filled. One of my medicines is called UVdose.

Near me, another customer, an elderly lady, is asking for the same one.

Lady: “Oh, yes, I forgot! I need a box of overdose!

We Know A Few People Who Could Use That Procedure
IMPOSSIBLE DEMANDS, JERK, PHARMACY, USA | HEALTHY | MAY 27, 2020
I’m a pharmacy technician at a national pharmacy chain. On this particular morning, it’s just me and the pharmacist working. About two minutes after opening, an old woman comes up to the register.

Me: “Good morning. Could I get your name and date of birth, please?”

She gives me her name and birthday. I punch her information into the register and see that we have a prescription ready for her. I grab her prescription from the bin.

Me: “Okay, so, I’ve got your [commonly used blood pressure medication] ready for you.”

Customer: “No, no, no! I don’t need that; I need my Valium!”

From having entered her information into the register, I know we do not have any Valium ready for her, nor are we currently working on any for her. However, if a patient’s medication is on hold, or if we’ve just received it from the doctor and haven’t entered it yet, it won’t show up on the register. I inform the woman there’s no Valium in process for her but that I will check my computer to see if we have any for her.

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I don’t have any Valium in my system for you anywhere. It’s possible that the doctor’s office hasn’t sent it to us yet; I would recommend that you give the office a call.”

Customer: *Now furious with me* “No! You’re lying! I know they sent it to you! They sent it to you yesterday and I need it now because I’m having brain surgery in forty-five minutes at [Hospital in a town thirty minutes away]!”

I’m just dumbstruck that someone would plan this poorly, but I maintain my professional composure.

Me: “I’m so sorry, ma’am, but I have not received any Valium prescription for you.”

Customer: “Well, this is just f****** ridiculous. This kind of s*** is why I changed pharmacies months ago.”

Me: *Slight pause* “Well, then… perhaps your prescription was sent to your current pharmacy?”

Customer: “No! I know for a fact that it was sent to you because I was standing right there when the doctor called you!”

I know this is a lie because of two things. First, doctors never call prescriptions in themselves; they have a nurse or receptionist do it. And second, Valium is a class IV controlled substance and therefore, in our state, it can only be sent to the pharmacy electronically, not over the phone.

Me: “I’m very sorry, ma’am, but again, I don’t have any prescription here for you. My best recommendation would be that you call the doctor and ask them to send it again as soon as possible.”

Customer: “No, there’s no time for that. When I get there, I’m gonna tell them it’s your fault that I have to postpone this operation!”

The woman storms off and I walk back to my workstation, almost in a daze.

Pharmacist: “Well, if she’s having brain surgery, I hope that means they’re going to install one.”