Harvested From The Great Nyquil Tree
PHARMACY | RIGHT | JANUARY 25, 2012
Patient: “Hi, my 6-month-old grandson has some congestion in his nose and a fever. I gave him some NyQuil yesterday and that seemed to help. Is there anything you would recommend?”
Me: “For the congestion, you can use these saline drops, they’re–”
Patient: “No! I don’t wanna use that medicated stuff.”
Me: “All right. Well, for the fever you can try this Tylenol. Do you know the wei–”
Patient: “No! I don’t want to use that! It has acetaminophen in it! That’s not safe for babies.”
Me: “Actually, acetaminophen is quite safe for infants.”
Patient: “You’re a pharmacist. You would say that!”
Me: “Well, the only other option is the Advil.”
Patient: “That has acetaminophen too!”
Me: “No, that has ibuprofen. Which is also saf–”
Patient: “No, it isn’t!”
Me: “Are you aware that NyQuil has acetaminophen in it?”
Patient: “You lie! NyQuil has NyQuil in it! Isn’t there anything more natural I can give?!”
It’s The Small Victories
PHARMACY | RIGHT | JANUARY 21, 2012
(I’ve been working for a quite a while, so my voice is scratchy. Near the end of my shift, an old man comes to the counter.)
Customer: “Hm. You’re losing your voice there, eh?”
Me: “Haha. A little bit, I suppose.”
Customer: “Well, that’s the end of the world for a woman.”
Me: “Ha ha…” *confused as to where he’s going with this*
Customer: “HAHAHA, YOU CAN’T YELL AT ME!” *does a victory dance*
A Real Pain In The Rear
PHARMACY | RIGHT | DECEMBER 14, 2011
(An elderly gentleman approaches me at the counter.)
Me: “How may I help you, sir?”
Customer: “My butt hurts! I need medicine!”
Me: “All right, do you have a prescription? Or, can you tell me what exactly is wrong so that I can recommend you something that doesn’t need one?”
Customer: “I don’t know what’s wrong. But my butt hurts!”
Me: “Please go see a doctor then, sir. Without knowing what causes your pain, there’s little I can do.”
Customer: “But I don’t want to wait at the doctor’s together with all the sick people! I’ll catch a disease or something!”
Me: “That’s understandable. Maybe you could go early in the morning when fewer people are there?”
Customer: “No! I don’t want to! I want you to tell me what’s wrong! Look at my butt!”
Me: “Sorry, sir, but we don’t do that–”
(The man doesn’t listen. In front of me and three other customers, he drops his pants and underwear, turns around and sticks out his butt in my direction.)
Me: “Sir, please pull up your pants again! I can’t tell what’s wrong and you will have to leave if you don’t stop that!”
Customer: “Nonsense! If you can’t tell what’s wrong from over there, come closer and get a better look!”
(My boss then comes to look at what’s going on and ends up kicking the guy out.)
Customer: *on the way out the door* “Why will no one look at my butt?!”
A Warm And Full(filling) Night In
PHARMACY | RIGHT | DECEMBER 9, 2011
(A man in his mid-30’s approaches the register. I notice that he looks a little grumpy about something.)
Me: “Hello!”
Customer: “Hi.”
(It is at this point that I notice that he only has two items to ring up: a 20oz bottle of soda and an enema.)
Me: “How are you today?”
Customer: “I’m holding an enema, what do you think?!”
Me: *speechless*
(I ring him up silently. Poor guy, I hope he feels better!)
D Is For Definitely Shiny
HOLIDAYS, NEW JERSEY, PHARMACY, RETAIL, STUPID, USA | RIGHT | NOVEMBER 16, 2011
(A customer walks to my register with a Halloween decoration in tow. It’s a cheap cardboard statue of a cartoon-looking black cat covered in a shiny plastic material.)
Customer: “So, why is this 3D?”
Me: “Excuse me?”
(I peer at the tag. It says “3D Cat.”)
Me: “Oh, that’s because it’s 3D.”
Customer: “No, I mean why is it ‘D’? Is it because it’s shiny?”
(A multitude of thoughts are racing through my head at this point. I debate the prospect of explaining to her what 3D actually means. In the end, I decide it’s easier to just agree with her.)
Me: “Exactly! It’s really sparkly and that’s why it’s called a 3D cat. Would you like to purchase it?”
What’s Your Poison
PHARMACY | RIGHT | NOVEMBER 15, 2011
(I’m a pharmacist in a rural area. A shop assistant calls me out from the dispensary to talk to a customer, who is a slightly intoxicated middle aged woman.)
Customer: “This medicine made my partner sick! Violently sick!”
Me: “Let me see. Has he had any alcohol?”
Customer: “No.”
Me: “Are you sure? Not even a little?”
Customer: “He doesn’t drink. Maybe only a little, but he wasn’t drunk.”
Me: “It clearly says on the label that you must not drink any alcohol while being treated with this medicine.”
Customer: “But he didn’t drink much at all. A beer shouldn’t matter, should it?”
Me: “It contains enough alcohol to–”
Customer: “But, like, you can even drive if you only drink a beer!”
Me: “That has nothing to do with–”
Customer: “I think he’d better not take this medicine. It made him violently sick!”
Me: “I think he should–”
Customer: “Thanks, I’ll tell him what you said. This medicine is a poison!” *turns around and walks out*
Have You Tried Dihydrogen Monoxide, Part 3
PHARMACY | RIGHT | NOVEMBER 9, 2011
(I am standing in line at the pharmacy counter and a man rudely cuts in front of me, stating that he has been waiting in line, just in another part of the store. He assures me he’ll be quick, but I don’t buy his excuse. The following exchange occurs between him and the pharmacist.)
Customer: “I need to speak to a pharmacist immediately.”
Pharmacist: “Do you have a question about your medication?”
Customer: “Yes, it says on the bottle to take with water. I don’t drink water. Water makes you fat.”
Pharmacist: “Um, water is essential for your body, especially with those pills.”
Customer: “What about water retention? Will I just pee it out, then?”
Pharmacist: “Yeah, your body will eventually eliminate it. You should drink water, though. Your body needs plenty of water to work well, and you really don’t want to be dehydrated while on this drug.”
Customer: “Okay, I’ll try it. Oh, and one more question. What about alcohol? Can I still have my alcohol?”
Take Two Werewolves And Call Me In The Morning
PHARMACY | RIGHT | NOVEMBER 8, 2011
(I have just given a customer his prescription and am explaining to him the directions.)
Me: “So, just take two of these with water at night.”
Customer: “Okay, thanks. Wait, I work at night…should I take these in the day time?”
Me: “Yes, just take them before bed.”
Customer: “Okay, so they aren’t activated by the moon or anything?”
Me: “No.”
Customer: *slight disbelief* “Hmm, okay…” *turns around and leaves*
I’ll Take An Album Cover For 7000
PHARMACY | RIGHT | NOVEMBER 4, 2011
(I work in the OTC section of a well-known pharmacy chain. I’m stocking the shelves in an aisle when a customer approaches me.)
Customer: “Excuse me. I’ve looked all over here. Where are your hemorrhoid wipes?”
Me: “Oh, those are actually down on Aisle 20.”
Customer: “Really? Why are they over there and not in this aisle with the rest of the anal care?”
Me: “I’m sorry, what?”
Customer: “Anal care!” *points at the aisle’s sign*
Like There’s No Tomorrow
PHARMACY | RIGHT | OCTOBER 24, 2011
(A customer has called to ask if we carry an over the counter soap in our store.)
Me: “Hello, ma’am? I just checked and we do carry [brand] soap. However, we are all out of stock right now, but we could order some for you and it would come in tomorrow.”
Customer: “You don’t carry [brand]?”
Me: “We do carry it. We just don’t have it in right now.”
Customer: “Well, why not?”
Me: “Because other customers have purchased it. But we can order some for tomorrow.”
No Scan, No Scam
PHARMACY | RIGHT | JULY 10, 2012
(I work in a store in a small town where most of the customers are elderly and sweet. If a price doesn’t come up, I will generally trust a customer if they say they know the exact price.)
Me: “Oh, there’s no bar code on this.”
Customer: “Well, it was $39.99, but I guess that doesn’t help you.”
Me: “Well, I can enter it manually. You’re sure it was $39.99?”
Customer: “Actually, it was…$19.99.”
Me: “Sir, do you really want me to call for a price check and make you and all the people behind you wait ten minutes for someone to come up here?”
Not Ever Working
PHARMACY | WORKING | JULY 9, 2012
(The pharmacy I work at has just lost several techs at once, so we’ve hired a few new people. One of these new coworkers isn’t working out at all.)
Pharmacist: “Hey, could you help out in the front for a minute? I think [coworker who isn’t working out] could use a hand.”
Me: “Sure. Hi, [regular customer], what can I do for you?”
Regular Customer: “Oh good, I’m trying to get a refill.”
New Coworker: *to Regular Customer* “I keep telling you, you don’t have any!”
Me: *to Regular Customer* “Let me just check on it for you.”
New Coworker: *to me* “Why? I already told him he didn’t have one.”
Me: “Actually, he has enough refills for the rest of the year. What are you looking at?”
New Coworker: “No, you’re wrong. I know what I saw!”
Regular Customer: “I knew I had some..I was starting to think I was going to have to call my doctor. Thank you so much, [my name]!”
New Coworker: *to Regular Customer* “You need to leave right now. GET OUT!”
Me: *to New Coworker* “Whoa, what do you think you’re doing? You do not have ANY authority to kick a patron out.”
New Coworker: “He’s being unruly.”
Me: “What? No, he’s not. You’re just being rude.”
New Coworker: “No, you’re just trying to make me look stupid. I know exactly what I saw.”
(I examine my new coworker’s computer screen.)
Me: “You were looking at the wrong person.”
New Coworker: “No, I wasn’t!”
Me: “Sorry, but the name on your screen is a woman’s. [Regular Customer] is a man. It happens.”
New Coworker: “You changed it!”
Regular Customer: “Are you kidding me? Listen kid, you were wrong. It’s not that big of a deal. It happens. Just man up already.”
New Coworker: “You, shut up! I’m not talking to you, old man!”
(The pharmacist has been listening to the entire conversation. He decides he’s had enough.)
Pharmacist: *to New Coworker* “Get over here, right now!”
New Coworker: *rudely* “I’m BUSY! I’m trying to work, but—”
Pharmacist: “Get your stuff. You’re fired.”
New Coworker: “You can’t fire me!”
(At this point, the store manager also comes over.)
Store Manager: “I can. Get your stuff. You are not longer employed here.”
New Coworker: “YOU CAN’T FIRE ME! I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG! YOU PEOPLE ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE ME LOOK STUPID!”
Regular Customer: “No one has to try and make you look stupid, son. You’re doing a fine job of that all by yourself.”
(My coworker carried on and screamed obscenities. We ended up having to call the police to remove him from the store!)
Plz Change Abbrev, Stat
PHARMACY | RIGHT | JULY 9, 2012
(If a customer gets regular medication from a pharmacy, they can have a Medicine Use Review (MUR). It’s basically talking through their meds with a pharmacist. I answer this call from a sweet elderly caller.)
Me: “Hello, pharmacy.”
Customer: “Um hello, someone just delivered my medicine. The bag has a sticker on it that says “Patient eligible for MUR.” What it is MUR?”
Me: “It stands for “Medicine Use Review,” which involves discussing your medicines with the pharmacist. However, those labels are meant for our reference, so I apologise that it’s been put on your bag by mistake. Sorry if it caused confusion.”
Customer: “Oh, that’s alright, dear. I just thought MUR might be short for murder!”
Me: “Er no, ma’am! Don’t worry, no one is going to murder you!”
Feeling Man-strual
PHARMACY | RIGHT | JUNE 24, 2012
(I am working the prescription counter when a big, burly 6-foot or so tall man comes to the counter. Note: I am a female.)
Me: “Hello, how can I help you?”
Customer: “Um, I think…” *trails off*
Me: “I’m sorry, sir…could you say that again?”
Customer: *leans in close* “I think I got my first period.”
Me: *speechless*
Customer: “I’m bleeding down there, and I’m really hurting in my stomach.”
Me: “Sir, men don’t get those. You need to go to the hospital.”
Customer: “I knew you girls would be insensitive! I’m leaving!”
(I didn’t see him again. I still hope he got to a hospital!)
Employees Are Sharper Than You Think
PHARMACY | RIGHT | JUNE 20, 2012
(Pharmacy law in Utah says that it’s up to the pharmacist’s discretion if they want to sell insulin needles/syringes without a prescription. Our store has the policy that the patient either has to have a prescription for the syringes or for an injectable medication on file.)
Customer: “I need to get some syringes.”
Me: “Okay, I need your name so I can look up the prescription.”
Customer: “Actually, they’re not for me. They’re for my mom.”
Me: “Okay, what’s her name?”
Customer: “Well, not my mom. My best friend’s mom who’s like a mom to me.”
Contextual Innuendos
PHARMACY | RIGHT | JUNE 19, 2012
(I’m at work on a Saturday with a clerk and a pharmacist. I notice the clerk speaking with an elderly woman out front but don’t think much of it. A few minutes later, the clerk comes back with a strange expression on her face and tells me I have to go help the woman.)
Me: “What can I help you with?”
Customer: “I’m looking for a vibrator.”
Me: “A…vibrator?”
Customer: “Yes. I had one, but I used it too much and it wore out.”
Me: “I don’t think we have anything like that. Where did you buy the first one?”
Customer: “At another pharmacy, but I want one with a long handle so it can reach better.”
(At this point I’m biting the inside of my cheek in an effort not to laugh.)
Me: “What kind of vibrator are you looking for, exactly?”
Customer: “You know! One of those that rub your feet!”
Me: “OH! Sorry, we don’t have anything like that.”
Getting Burned Can Be A Pain In The Butt
PHARMACY | RIGHT | JUNE 15, 2012
(It is a very windy day during summer, and a power line has blown over in the field behind our store.)
Me: “Hello, [pharmacy] how may I help you?”
Customer: “I need to see if you have [hemorrhoid cream] in stock.”
Me: “Alright, let me check…”
(At this point, I put him on hold to check our stock when a fireman walks in. He tells us they are evacuating all the buildings in the area, and that we have 5 minutes to get out. I go back to pick up the phone so the customer isn’t on hold forever.)
Me: “Sir, we do have it in stock. However, I can’t help you right now. I’m being told to evacuate the building.”
Customer: “Does it have aloe vera in it?”
Me: “I don’t know. As I said, I need to hang up. Please call back tomorrow.”
Customer: “Can you see if you can order it for me?”
Me: “Sir, there is a field fire right behind the pharmacy and I really can’t answer your questions right now. I was told by the fire department to evacuate. Please, call back another time.”
Customer: “Well, fine then. I’ll just get it somewhere else!” *hangs up*
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