The man in overalls and the greasy baseball cap came up and started with "I'm here from out of town....." It's never good when a customer starts with those words. He talked in an accent I hadn't heard in awhile. An accent I have worked many hours to scrub from my own vocal cords. I looked at him and saw my past. "Durndest thang.....I had muh pill bottles set out all on the kitchen table and just left 'em thar" I looked at him and saw everything I ran from.
His daughter came up and there was a conference between me, her, and the old man's central profile. He wasn't involved so much. We eventually figured he needed his sugar pills as well as the ones for his tingly feet. A little boy came up and said "Pa! they got a chair outside with a roof over it!" I think the boy was talking about some sort of plastic made-in-China lawn furniture with a gazebo on display out front. I looked at the boy and saw me. I remember the first time I saw a shopping mall. It amazed me. I remember the first time I saw a big city skyscraper. It amazed me. I can very much remember a time when I would have been amazed to see a chair with a roof over it. Now I work with some of the wealthiest people in the world in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, and these people aren't amazed with anything. It's been a long time since I've been amazed with anything myself. I ran away from a place full of good people to a place full of the brain-numbness that only affluence can bestow.
I'll be leaving this weekend to go back home for a week. When I landed in California, I made it a point to say that the Golden State was my home now. It's not. I'm flying to Columbus, renting a car, driving it deep into the heart of Appalachia, and then giving my Mom a big hug.
I'm glad the old man came in the store.
16 comments:
Wow, I didn't know you were from Appalachia. Cool.
i'd love it if you did a blog about all of the misconceptions about the area. All I know of it is Deliverance and kissin (and more) cousins.
- Karen
Home is where you heart is.
Where's your heart, Pharmacist?
holy cow drugmonkey....would have never pegged you as a SE Ohioan....we can usually spot our own you know. This may be home...but it's no calif.
-pharmer in training
I love this post.
I live in Podunk---and today's headline on the Podunk newspaper screamed: "School Lunch Prices Raised 50 Cents!!!"
I smiled for the rest of the day.
"we can usually spot our own you know."
Oh I know....when I was in college I always *instantly* knew when I was talking to someone from our part of the state. It didn't happen that often. A college campus really isn't the place to find many of us....
Karen,
I did have a cousin when I was a kid who was smokin hot. I probably would have kissed her if she had ever let me. I guess stereotypes don't come out of nowhere....
Good for you, DrugMonkey.
Good lord, I love this blog. I'm from NJ, but we have a few spots that could give Deliverance a run for it's money. It's called the Pine Barrens. My husband is from there-nuff said.
I went home a few weeks ago. The trek from uber-glamorous Fort Lauderdale to not so glamorous southern Illinois is depressing and refreshing at the same time. I went boating with my parents, brother, and nephew. Sometimes getting away is very relaxing. The sunburn from hanging out all day with your 5 year old nephew is priceless.
What a neat post! I wish something as simple as a chair with a roof would fill me with wonder...
Born and bred in the San Francisco area, but my grandparents are from Oklahoma so I must have some of that small town feel in my genes....
hey man that post touched me, there really is no place like home, and there's no one like mommy!!!
Pharmacist from deepest darkest Yorkshire... God's own country!!
Well Well Boy... I knew you weren't from this stupid state any more than I am. Here in California they think common sense is something they can buy in a bottle at Nordstroms.
And that sense of humor we love so much-- comes from know a hell of a lot more about life than these asses will ever see.
Hug Mom for all of us DM!
http://liu.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2202784585
On the discussion board, click the topic entitled, "a must read for all who work in retail pharmacy"
Oh Drugmonkey, you're famous. Sort of.
Glad I found you finally...I have gotten your posts via emails, but have never stumbled across your site. I too am a pharmer and enjoy your rants, truths, and advice about life and pharmacy!
Appalachia, represent!
I've just come across your blogs, and I've spent an enlightening time reading some of them :)
See DM???? What did I tell u years ago???? CA is a mutt-state....we're ALL here, college-educated Latin-ohhhs...who are from Mexico, Okies from OK, shouldn't leave out all those Mid-Westerners.....and of course those bi-coastal folks....yup, we're all here!!! Welcome to California, land of the nuts, fruits and all those accents!!! And u felt like u stuck out like a sore thumb back when....silly DM.....
Congaqween
Post a Comment