MY LIFE - AUGUST

Monday, August 2, 1999

I hate getting up in the morning. I absolutely hate it and can't stand doing it. I had no choice today though since I had to open up because our morning tech, Debbie, was taking a personal day. It created a minor dilema for my manager, Lenny, since he had to open and close that day. He had originally scheduled me at night so that he could get the night off, but this quirk in the schedule changed that. To top it all off, he had to go a meeting as well during the day. He ended up working 9am until 12:30pm or so, then had to come back later to close. When I left at 5:30, he still hadn't returned.

For the most part, I was in charge while he was gone. I didn't even know when he had left, so I had no clue as to what needed to be done. I had no idea what to tell Jenny and Becky what to do, since there really wasn't anything to do. We all finally figured something out eventually so that everyone was happy, but now I was bored since the pharmacy had slowed a bit. We picked up again eventually, so it all worked out in the long run and there really wasn't any problem at all.

I get to close tomorrow night though, so we'll see how things go. This time I'll ask Lenny if there's anything to do so when someone asks, I can tell them. I just hate to see associates standing around.

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We've determined that we're just going to fix the brakes on my car and not worry about getting a new car until my mom's re-established credit and I have some credit established. I'll continue to pay off the car I have now, keeping it so it's at least running, then when it's paid off in about three months or so, I'll sell it to someone and buy a new car then. My mom will also hold off and try to get her credit mess cleared up so that she could get a new car.

So tomorrow morning, I get to get up again to take the car back to Midas and get the brakes taken care of. Now I have to hope that the gas tank and the other small problems don't become large ones before the end of November, when this car is finally paid off in full. I don't think there will be anymore problems, but you can't really predict that kind of thing. If you could, someone would probably be really rich or something.

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We had a customer in earlier during the day that was going to drop off a prescription. Now Tom was doing a script, I was doing a bag that had three scripts in it, and there was one in the bin on top of the ledge that was ahead of this lady. She asked Becky if it was going to be done right away, to which Becky said that there was about a 15 to 20 minute wait. The lady replied with "So you're not one of those places that does it right away?"

I looked at her and told her that there were three ahead of her, which apparently irked her. She started complaining about how we should be doing the ones brought in right away and said she was going somewhere else to get it. Becky gave the script back and had very little to say on the matter while the lady walked out, complaining all the way. I just shook my head and smiled over the whole affair.

For those who don't know, the normal procedure in a pharmacy is to do the scripts in the order that you get them. We typically will not give someone a break and do theirs ahead of someone else, regardless of how much bickering you do. It isn't fair to those who dropped off their prescription ahead of you, no matter when they're coming back. The idea that you can go into a pharmacy and get a prescription filled instantly is almost ludicrous, even if the pharmacy isn't busy.

People always seem to forget that we have to first put the information into the computer before we can even think about giving you the filled prescription. That in itself is about five minutes, which is more than some people like to take. We have to count it out next, which doesn't take very long in itself and finish up the script. It's about a seven or eight minute process when it is not busy.

If it is busy, then you have to wait. It's just like waiting in line anywhere else. If some else is in front of you in a line, you have to wait for them. Likewise, if someone else dropped off a script ahead of you, theirs will be done first because it's ahead in line. It's really simple. I just don't get why someone would be upset over a short wait. The lady probably took 15 minutes to go to another pharmacy to be told the same thing. It's silly.

Have we become so used to getting things instantly that waiting more than ten minutes will kill us? I've seen it happen a lot. People becoming flustered over having to wait in line at a drive through for more than a couple minutes. They start waving their hands around, talking loudly about how long this is. Years ago, a couple minutes was fast. Now it's slow and it makes me shake my head. People have become so used to fast service that normal service irritates us, especially those with very little patience.

Slow down and take a deep breath. Five minutes won't kill, so 15 won't either. Stop complaining about things you don't understand and listen to what's being explained to you. Otherwise you'll always be in the dark.

Tribe Watch '99

Last Game
Cleveland, 7
Boston, 5

Summary
The Indians jumped out to an early lead with five runs in the fifth, then got a two run homer from David Justice in the top of the ninth to win the game 7-5. The Indians scored five in the first, including a two run homer from Jim Thome and a solo shot from Richie Sexson. Dwight Gooden only last 2 2/3 innings though, giving back all five runs before Chris Haney came in and shut down Boston. Justice then hit a two run homer in the ninth off of Tim Wakefield to give the Indians back the lead. Mike Jackson pitched a fast 1-2-3 ninth for the save.

Game Notes
The Indians have only won two games against Boston this year and had lost four in a row to the Red Sox before tonight's game....Thome's home run was his second consecutive homer to center field and was similar to one he hit in Boston in last year's postseason. Sexson's was over the green monster, just two batters after Manny Ramirez hit a single about 36 feet up the 37 foot wall, just missing a home run....Justice was in his first game back since injuring his wrist. Jaret Wright goes against Pedro Martinez tomorrow night.

Record
64-41