Patience Is A Virtue...
...and homicide is a crime.
How do you feel when the person in front of you in line at a convenience store, a bank line, or a pharmacy is lost, dazed and confused about going about their business?
It's a tad irritating, isn't it?
I stood behind an elderly man on line at the pharmacy the other day.
Let me tell you, this dude had nothing going on the rest of the day.
I honestly considered smashing him over the head with something. This was his exchange:
Man: I need to pick up my scripts.
Clerk: Your name?
Man: What?
Clerk: The name on the prescription.
Man: Tom
Clerk: Full name?
Man: (Laughing) Oh yeah, sorry. Guess that would help!
Clerk: (Waiting)
Me: (Seething)
Man: Jones
Clerk: I'll be right back.
Man: I may have two here.
Clerk: Same name
Man: What?
Clerk: Are they both for Tom Jones?
Man: Both what? (Laughs again) Oh yeah!
Clerk: I'll be right back.
She walks away. The man turns to me and says hi. I nod. He picks up a eye glass repair kit.
Man: What do you suppose this is for?
Me: To repair broken glasses.
Man: I'll be damned.
The clerk returns and asks him if he has any questions about how to take his medicine.
Man: What?
Me: Holy shit! (under my breath).
Of course the instruction exchange went for a good three minutes.
Clerk: Sign on the electronic pad.
Man: The what?
Clerk shows the man where to sign.
Man just doesn't understand.
Clerk comes around the counter.
They laugh.
Man: I'll be damned.
He signs his name...slowly....he drops his wallet.
I bend and get it for him.
Man: Thank you.
Clerk: Will that be all?
Man: Can you tell me how this glasses repair kit works?
The clerk glances over the man's head to me. I may have been putting off a vibe of some sorts.
Man: I'm sorry! I'm taking up a lot of time. The thing is, this is my big event for the day! Once I get home I'm home alone until God knows when.
The man sort of nods at the clerk and to me.
You'd think my stance would soften a bit, but GOD HELP ME! I JUST WANT TO GET TO MY NEXT APPOINTMENT!!
The clerk takes a couple of minutes to explain the glasses repair kit to the man. She smiles at me as she does so and I smile back. The man asks about the price and is a little surprised when she says it's a little less than five bucks.
Man: (Looks at me) You think that's a good deal?
Me: If your glasses are broke it is.
Man: (Laughing).
He holds the package for a good 30 seconds contemplating whether or not to buy it.
I imagine buying the kit and taking out the tiny screwdriver and piercing his neck artery with it. He notices my Yankee shirt.
Man: I'm gonna' really miss Jeter.
Me: Me too.
Cut to the exterior of the store.
I stand talking to the man about Tanaka, Jeter, Cano and the teams from the 90's.
Man: It was nice meeting you.
Me: You too.
We shake hands and part.
Patience is a virtue, folks.
It truly is.
How do you feel when the person in front of you in line at a convenience store, a bank line, or a pharmacy is lost, dazed and confused about going about their business?
It's a tad irritating, isn't it?
I stood behind an elderly man on line at the pharmacy the other day.
Let me tell you, this dude had nothing going on the rest of the day.
I honestly considered smashing him over the head with something. This was his exchange:
Man: I need to pick up my scripts.
Clerk: Your name?
Man: What?
Clerk: The name on the prescription.
Man: Tom
Clerk: Full name?
Man: (Laughing) Oh yeah, sorry. Guess that would help!
Clerk: (Waiting)
Me: (Seething)
Man: Jones
Clerk: I'll be right back.
Man: I may have two here.
Clerk: Same name
Man: What?
Clerk: Are they both for Tom Jones?
Man: Both what? (Laughs again) Oh yeah!
Clerk: I'll be right back.
She walks away. The man turns to me and says hi. I nod. He picks up a eye glass repair kit.
Man: What do you suppose this is for?
Me: To repair broken glasses.
Man: I'll be damned.
The clerk returns and asks him if he has any questions about how to take his medicine.
Man: What?
Me: Holy shit! (under my breath).
Of course the instruction exchange went for a good three minutes.
Clerk: Sign on the electronic pad.
Man: The what?
Clerk shows the man where to sign.
Man just doesn't understand.
Clerk comes around the counter.
They laugh.
Man: I'll be damned.
He signs his name...slowly....he drops his wallet.
I bend and get it for him.
Man: Thank you.
Clerk: Will that be all?
Man: Can you tell me how this glasses repair kit works?
The clerk glances over the man's head to me. I may have been putting off a vibe of some sorts.
Man: I'm sorry! I'm taking up a lot of time. The thing is, this is my big event for the day! Once I get home I'm home alone until God knows when.
The man sort of nods at the clerk and to me.
You'd think my stance would soften a bit, but GOD HELP ME! I JUST WANT TO GET TO MY NEXT APPOINTMENT!!
The clerk takes a couple of minutes to explain the glasses repair kit to the man. She smiles at me as she does so and I smile back. The man asks about the price and is a little surprised when she says it's a little less than five bucks.
Man: (Looks at me) You think that's a good deal?
Me: If your glasses are broke it is.
Man: (Laughing).
He holds the package for a good 30 seconds contemplating whether or not to buy it.
I imagine buying the kit and taking out the tiny screwdriver and piercing his neck artery with it. He notices my Yankee shirt.
Man: I'm gonna' really miss Jeter.
Me: Me too.
Cut to the exterior of the store.
I stand talking to the man about Tanaka, Jeter, Cano and the teams from the 90's.
Man: It was nice meeting you.
Me: You too.
We shake hands and part.
Patience is a virtue, folks.
It truly is.
Comments