New Impatient Patient Tactic

"This lady in front of me has been waiting a LONG time, you know!"

That's what he said.

He being a guy who was third in line. The lady at the register needed extra help because she's frail and confused and needed some extra counseling about her medication. Yes, I should have asked her to step aside so the next person in line could check out, but I didn't see the point of that because I was alone in the pharmacy at the moment and the next person in line would have just been waiting while I took the first lady aside and continued counseling.

The look on the face of the next lady in line was complete embarrassment. She was made out by the guy behind her to look like she was impatient and had to wait a long time. Neither was true. What was true was that the third guy in line was seriously impatient.

I was brought up to wait my turn. I was brought up to be patient while waiting my turn. The thought of acting like an idiot and embarrassing the next person in line to try and get faster service would never, ever occur to me.

But it's a different world now. 

And yes, you may have already surmised where I'm going with this. The third guy in line is a Medicaid patient that gets his medications at no cost, funded by Joe Q. Taxpayer. It's not enough that we pay for his medication. Oh no, it must also be filled and prepared within HIS time frame and waiting a few minutes longer to get it is completely unreasonable... so much so that he made his outburst.

I walked over to where the man was standing and said, "I'll be with you in a minute." (I felt like telling him about the latest issue of Tattoo magazine he could look at, but I let it go).

I went back to the frail lady and asked her to join me in the counseling room. After I finished, I stepped out to find the technician was back and checking people out at the counter. I asked her if Mr. Medicaid said anything to her. She said when she came up to the register only the lady was there waiting. Mr. Medicaid was so impatient that he just couldn't wait any longer and left. I figure a transfer is imminent and that's just fine with me.

I know I'm starting to sound like a nag, but we really are in trouble in this country. Many of you are just fine with YOUR income taken away to fund people's medication, healthcare, food stamps, housing, whatever. I don't mind helping people out, but when they're impatient or take advantage of the system, that's where I draw the line, and it's happening more and more.

Wake up, America. Seriously.