I'm not an idiot. I'm hoping you've already figured that out, but just in case, let me reiterate: I'm not an idiot. I don't claim to be the next Einstein, and I'm no Stephen Hawking, but I manage. That being said, there's almost NOTHING that pisses me off more than people that just assume I'm stupid without having anything to base that claim on.
In case you didn't read my last post, or in case this is your first time here, I work in a pharmacy. I have to deal with people that are ACTUALLY stupid every single day, and it hurts. I swear on everything chocolate that it physically hurts not being able to say the things that roll around in my head every time I'm dealing with a particularly difficult customer. Given the collective intelligence level of the entire town is about equal to a bowl of oatmeal, difficult customers are pretty much the only customers. I have no doubts that every once in a while it's not just the customer and it's me as well, but usually, usually, it's just the customer.
Back to my first point. I don't like when people assume I've got no idea what I'm doing. I'm not new to this job. I've been working in the pharmacy for about two years now, and although I do sometimes have to ask questions I think after two years I've got the hang of most of it. I absolutely loathe people that think that just because they don't see me all the time when they come in to pick up their prescriptions that I MUST be new, and therefore I have no idea what the hell I'm doing. Last week I had 4 different people ask me if I was new. All 4 of them were fairly regular customers, and I wait on them all the time. Are you KIDDING ME? I talked to you three days ago! I knew your name when you came up to the counter! No, I'm definitely not new.
I'm also incredibly bad with names. I can remember faces, but for whatever reason there are customers who I recognize but always, always, have to ask for a name. A few weeks ago one lady came up to the counter, looked at me, and said "Well you know who I am. I need to pick up my prescriptions". Um. Suuuuuuuure. Of course I had to ask her for name, because although I knew I'd seen her before I couldn't think of her name to save my life. After I asked her name, instead of just answering me, she got a little snotty and asked me if I was new. She didn't really seem to like my answer of "Nope, I've been here for a year!". Sorry to deflate your little bubble, honey, but just because you think you're the shit doesn't mean I'm gonna remember your name. I wait on probably hundreds of people every single week; there's no way on this earth I will ever be able to remember all of their names. There are certain people whose names I will never forget, but it's usually because of something bad like the lady that, quite literally, screamed at me once. I will remember who she is for the rest of my life.
It also pisses me off to no end when there's a problem with some part of someone's prescription, and as I'm trying to explain the problem, they lean around me and shout for the pharmacist. I'm not lying to you about your drugs, okay? Lying about it will get me absolutely nothing, except maybe fired, so there's absolutely no point in telling you anything but the truth. I don't deny that my coworkers can explain things better at times, because I'm terrible at explanations. I know what I'm talking about, but that doesn't always mean I can make you understand it too. However, just because someone else can make you understand doesn't mean they're telling you any different information than I told you. They're just better at making it brain-able for idiots like you.
And then we have the people that start talking to you before you've even realized they're at the counter. Shouting your name at me as I walk over to wait on you gets you nowhere. Give me a second to sign into the computer, and THEN you can tell me who you are. And for the record, please stop spelling your name at me if I didn't ask you to. If I can spell 'prestidigitation' without needing a dictionary I think I can handle your 4-letter last name. Spelling your name at me doesn't make you any more important or fancy just because YOU can't spell it. Same thing goes for the people that won't even say what their name is, they only spell it at you. For example, if your last name is Jones, instead of saying "Jones" you say "JAY-OH-EN-EE-ESS" all in one breath and as fast as humanly possible. Just...just don't, alright?
Two more things, and then I promise I'll be done whining.
1) If you have to call your pharmacy, please do the person answering the phone a favor and start off with your name. Don't go into a five-minute-long speech about how you're expecting X prescription from Y doctor and you want to know if it's ready, and if not how long will it be, and did they call in X prescription for 30 days or for 90, and did the insurance pay for that or is that the cash price, and you really want to make sure that Y doctor called it in and not W doctor that you're not seeing anymore, because you haven't seen W doctor in almost 6 months, and how much was it going to be through your insurance again? I promise you after that first four words nobody is listening to you anymore and they're spending the entire time you're prattling on wondering if you're going to shut up long enough to get a word in edgewise because they have no idea who you are to even look up your information to answer your questions. I can't even tell you how many times I'm on the phone with someone for several minutes before I get a chance to even ask who I'm talking to.
2) If your pharmacy has an outside pick-up window, either a walk-up or a drive-up, if the weather is cold, don't use it. When it's 5 degrees outside and you choose to use the walk-up window, I don't feel sorry for you when you whine that you're freezing. No shit, Sherlock, it's 5 degrees outside! Come INSIDE and get your stuff, moron. I will not be rushed while I'm releasing your medications just because you chose to stand outside, in Michigan, in the middle of winter. Same goes for when it's 100 degrees outside and you chose to stand outside in the blazing hot sun at noon and then realize it's hot outside. *sigh*
In the words of the ever-immortal Chandler Bing from 'Friends': "BAH!!"
Sincerely,
Smart Girl.
