Working at the pharmacy

From 2000 to 2003 I worked at the cvs down the street from my house in The Point. When I was first hired it was as a stocker, because of course you can't do anything without knowing the store first. Then I became a cashier, and sometimes worked in the pharmacy when they needed help (if it wasn't illegal then, it is now. I should not have been sorting pills, even if it was rechecked by a pharmacist). My favorite job, though it wasn't an all day position except after holidays, was the photo shop. Checking in overnight orders. Breaking open one time use cameras (which, if for some reason you are still using them, you can do at home and save the batteries. You can also electrocute yourself, so be careful, you who lives in the 90s!), using the "black bag," and developing pictures. One hour photo was my favorite part because I am a bit of a voyeur and I like to see other peoples lives without actually committing to being friendships (blog anyone?). All of these areas have their... Interesting points... Especially when people's private parts are at issue.

So in case you didn't do the math, I was at the edge of 16 when I started working at the pharmacy. I was a junior and needed some money in my pocket. And 2 kids in my class already worked there, with more to come soon, thank God. The 2 parts of being a stocker are stocking, naturally, and customer interaction. The want to know where everything is. Even stuff that's right in freaking front of them. I mean, like, rightthere. Then there's the country folk. This man asked me repeatedly for some "tomanal" I was like, I don't know what that is... "tomanal! For a headache!" oh, TY-LEN-OL. It was like on Austin powers where he kept saying "fajja," instead of father. Then of course there's the fun of having the key to the condom/ pregnancy test/ "ointment" case. Picture old men coming for their condoms and finding out this baby-faced teen is the thing keeping them from getting some that night. Loved to watch them squirm. Of course then there's the women who wanna ask me which version of monistat is the best. The one that works the quickest, I guess, geez.

And then there was the time we found some 20 bins of makeup that someone was too lazy to stock, so we got free reign of the stuff for a dollar a piece. I'm talking, loreal, revlon, cover girl, stuff they had since stopped making. 3 bottles of this blood burgundy revlon nail polish that looked delicious on me. I still have unopenned stuff in a big bubblegum container somewhere in my house. La and my mom wrecked shop.

On to working in the pharmacy. For the most part, they needed someone to man the register so they could concentrate on the actual pharm stuff. And it was the best place to be when you had homework. The night pharmacist was a lovely Korean man whose name I cannot remember! I wanna say Dr Li, or some other one syllable situation. Anyway, Li didn't mind if you had your pre-cal (yep, 11th grade, pre-cal) books out as long as when a customer came up you took care of it and he didn't have to get involved unless they asked. Which meant you had to know to look in the fridge for some stuff and tell the people how to mix it, etc. Of course the people would bug him anyway. When it was exceptionally busy, I mighta been asked to count out some pills. They had these lil baskets with the pills and the prescriptions already in them, and all I had to do is count out however many and stick the labels on the plastic bottles and put the pills in there. Then Li or one of the techs would come after and check to make sure you did it right. This is how I found out that a the father of a boy I had known since 6th grade, and also worked with at the time, was using Via.gra. Ew! I did not wanna think of them having the sex. I do remember him coming to get them that evening. I think I got a ride home from them that night too. To this day... I swear the image of my hand holding a bottle of viagre with his name on it is seared in my head. *banging my head* Repress! Repress!

Ok I'll stop there. I need to go rinse my brain. Tomorrow I'll get to the juice: photo shop!
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