Eckerd Drugs 1982

[kennethdaysale]

For 5 years back in the early 80's I managed an Eckerd Drug store in the little rural town of Moultrie Ga. The only time in my life that I was paid a salary rather than commission. The store opened at 8 and I usually arrived around 7ish to get ready for the day and my coworkers arrival at 7:45.

On this particular morning I arrived at 7, turned on 1/2 the lights to check some recent planograms and forgot to lock the door behind me. **important story note** the entry and exit doors were seperated by chrome rails with turnstiles on each end that only turned one way-they let you in on the in side and out on the out side...period. some of you older guys/gals will remember those "cattle chute" configurations. Anyway as soon as I got inside I was hit with an abdominal cramp that just about dropped me to my knees, I quickly made my way to the employee bathroom just inside the stockroom in the rear of the store. Left the door wide open of course, I was all alone, the store didn't open for an hour and I always locked the front door.

Meanwhile a wealthy elderly lady with an important presciption happens to push on the front door and since it swings open she busts right on in clutching her scrip and frantically heads for the pharmacy in the 1/2 darkness and eerie quitness. Finally, desperate to find the pharmacist, she decides to see if he's hinding in the stockroom....walks in...looks to her right at the precise moment that I have wiped once and in a half crouch and still cramping am folding the paper for a second pass. For just a brief moment that seemed to last forever we both stared at each other in frozen horror and confusion. I'm thinking "what's this old bitty doing in my store....what's this old bitty doing in my store??" she's thinking "wth wth wth??"

In a few seconds she wheels around and goose steps for the exit eager to get back in the sunshine and forget this ever happened and never see me again.................Unfortunately......she's so flustered that she runs down the exit chute and of course that door is locked and she's too old, stiff and rattled to climb over or under the railing so she just stands at the exit door banging and hollering. Finally I have no choice but to go to the front of the store and let her out. (textbook example of a no eye contact encounter)

For some reason she began getting her medicine elsewhere.