Scrips

Current mood: satisfied

I went to fill a prescription and while I was there I asked for the second box of migraine medication that they forgot to put in the last time I had it filled. I called the same night and someone said ok, they would put a box aside for me. At any rate, the counter woman is like, "Well, there's no note, and if you had talked to someone then they would have written a note..." I said, I called as soon as my husband got home with the prescription." "Yes, well, if they had talked to you..." "They DID talk to me" I interrupted her so forcefully she startled. "Well, yes, then they should have left a note somewhere where anyone could find it." She looked nervous. Then she said I could call the "boss" on monday and he/she would probably make it right.
I admit to being irritated and went home with a whole new prescription (since I am out). I got home and I was going to put half the pills in my bag for work so I would be sure to have some there...and instead of 6 pills in one box, there were only 2! I got right back in my car and took it back. I gave it to a new counter woman, who took it to the pharmacist. After much deliberation, the counter person came back with 3 boxes. They filled the 12 that were on the prescription and added 6 more for my trouble. Nice. And now I don't have to fight with the supervisor on Monday, because as far as I am concerned, I got my fair share (if you can call 170 dollar medicine fair).
I feel good about this. I have long been proud of my ability to "get my fair share" from businesses, to haggle and to convince people that they need to give me my money back, that kind of thing. I am so good at it, I ask people to let me do it for them. I offer to cancel subscriptions. I call to get satisfaction from poor service call center workers pretty regularly.
Which is AWFUL. I have been noticing lately (6 months...or maybe more) that I get a kind of perverse pleasure out of it. And it is draining. And sometimes I lie. Not big lies, just little ones, about the date, maybe, or how many times I have called. I'm careful, though, because I know that they track all that stuff now and I don't want to get caught lying, because that will make me look more suspicious. Even today, when they were deliberating, I was thinking, great. I made the fuss about the un-filled prescription, and now they think I purposely STOLE the 4 other pills so that I could come and get 4 more...
Its like even though 90% of the time what I am demanding IS, technically fair, there is part of me that knows 10% of the time I am manipulating. Not every time, but some of the time. And I feel kind of icky about that lately. Go figure.
So I appreciate the universe stepping up and letting me know that I do NOT need to struggle and fight all the time for every little thing. Sometimes, just speaking up a little is enough.
And from now on, I promise to use this power only for good.
Like talking to parents of clients. I think I use the same skill when I talk to angry parents, getting them to listen to me and to feel heard at the same time. Of course I do not lie to parents...or clients for that matter.

Anyway, that is today's revelation. It was a long, slow one this time, but I made it.

Currently reading: Speaker for the Dead (Ender, Book 2) (Ender Quartet) By Orson Scott Card Release date: By 15 August, 1994