The night before last, we found out my son (8) had worms.
Yesterday, on my way to do a 12 hour shift I popped to my local pharmacy which is inside a supermarket to get him some medicine.
There was quite a queue, maybe 8 people, but because I was running late (roadworks outside the shop) I didn’t have time to go anywhere else, so I waited.
When it was my turn, I said “Can I please have some Ovex?” The woman said “What’s it for?”
I said “It’s fine, I know what it’s for. Can I have it please?”
She said “Not until you tell me what you want it for.”
I said “My son has worms.”
She said “Speak up, I can’t hear you.”
So I said it again, louder, in front of several customers.
Then it turned out the prices were all wrong, so I couldn’t afford the family pack (£12, only had a tenner in my account).
I said “Can I have the single dose, please?”
She said “No, you have to treat the whole family.”
I said “I can’t afford to treat the whole family, do you have a generic version.”
Her response “We’re not Boots. If you want the generic version, you should go to a chemist. This is a pharmacy, dear.”
So I said I would take the single dose.
She said “Well, technically I’m not allowed to sell you it because you have disclosed that you don’t live alone, but it’s up to you.” (Disclosed! Like she's the bloody FBI or something).
I said “Well, it’s all I can afford, so I’ll take it please.”
She said “Well, on your head be it.”
Then she rang it through and it was nearly a pound more than it was marked at so I had to transfer more money. I said “Excuse me one second.” She said “Well, do you want this or not?” I said I did and she said “Well, I think you’ll be back soon enough but I can’t make you buy the multipack.”
I left feeling utterly humiliated but I didn’t have time to go elsewhere and my son had asked me not to tell my dad (his grandad) who picked him up. I also didn’t have time to tell the manager and by the time I finished work they were closed.
I usually don’t complain about poor service because you never know another person’s story but it was over 24 hours ago and I’m still annoyed. Is it worth complaining? Does anyone even acknowledge complaints these days?
Why was she so insistent that I told her what it was for? Are people out there mainlining Ovex at nearly £6 a pop or what?