All I wanted to do was to call the drug store and renew the prescriptions for a couple of my heart medications. These damned modern phones don't cradle. And the goddamn bifocals are not much help in this close-up drill. Try to punch in nine prescription digits without dropping the phone. Or the pill bottle. Or losing your place. Grumble, snarl.
Remembering the phone comes with a speaker inspired me. I hit that little orange button and laid the phone on the desk so I could concentrate with both hands. Gripe, complain.
“Please don’t use that damned speaker phone,” the Mystery Woman fussed. She hates the recorded voice that messes with the morning quiet. “And you don’t have to wait on the machine,” she said. “Just do this. When their recording starts, punch 4. Pause, then punch 2. Pause again. Want a.m. pick-up? Punch 8. Hit pound. Hang up.”
The realization was jarring – she has memorized the entire Walgreen’s pharmacy routine.
We’ve been old too long.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
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4 comments:
My insurance gives us incentives to use a mail order pharmacy. That means I can do it online, and get up to a 90 day supply.
That's fine until the prescription expires. Then one has to jump through several hoops.
I seriously dislike having to do such things over the phone with an automated system.
Depending on who you ask there are at least 45 million Americans who don't have these pesky little problems. Today is an election day in Texas. Vote. Please.
I hate being on the phone now that I'm old. I haven't the patience to sit still, can't see the numbers, dial them wrong half the time. What has helped has been hands-free headsets of one kind or another: the Janet Jackson set-up at first, followed by one of those ubiquitous little bluetooth gadgets (I never, ever leave the house wearing one). If I ever do screw up and dial the right number, the hands-free thing lets me do my entire day's housework while I'm on hold with the insurance company...true geezer revenge. That'll show 'em.
I just worked an election and I think alllll of you came to vote in my precinct.......
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