A Memory For Faces (a drug store trip report)

[Austiger]

So I'm at the neighborhood drug store tonight when the guy behind the counter asks me if I'm going to wait while they fill my prescription. I tell him that I called it in yesterday. He says they need the prescription, which I provide. "We can't fill it until you bring in the script." I mention that the guy didn't tell that on the phone, but whatever...the point is, I had a little conversation with the guy behind the counter. Not a long one mind you, but anyway...

About 15 minutes later, I hear "Mr. XXXX to the pharmacy for pickup." I drop my magazine and melatonin pills on the counter to go with my script. "You want to buy these?" he says. "Yeah" says I, reaching for my wallet. "The melatonin is 2 for 1 right?" He says he has to ring it up to know for sure. Anyway, another little conversation with the same guy which ends with me saying I'll be right back because I left my wallet in the car.

So I come back and he rings me up. I swipe my card, and when I click the OK button for $12 it occurs to me that he didn't ring up my meds.

"Hey are my meds in here?"
"Yeah" he says. I fish around in the bag, but he's obviously referring to the melatonin. The guy doesn't even remember me from earlier. This is pretty hard to believe because A. There are about 5 people total in the pharmacy including employees, and B. I came to the counter about 10 seconds after he said "Mr. XXXX to the pharmacy..."

Anyway, so he apologizes for not remembering me and calls again over the intercom. "Manager to the pharmacy for a refund." Then he rings me up again for a much larger total. So I assume he rang me up again for all the stuff and now I'm getting a refund for the first purchase. The manager walks behind the counter and the guy hands him the first receipt with the magazine and melatonin and says "I accidentally rang him up for these. There's another gentleman who left his wallet in his car coming back for them."

Quite an impression I make on people.

[neuroman]

I guess you had to be there.