Super Self Service

I went to my volunteer job for a few hours this afternoon. I am overjoyed that I have a computer and internet access. It really helps to pass the time and me not being paid allows me to not feel guilty for browsing occasionally. My job is rather simple. Our clients come to see the psychiatrist and then come back the next day to pick up their medications. My job is to schedule the next appointment with the doctor and to pass out the medications that have already been filled as the clients come back to pick them up. They have to sign a release form and pay a base rate of $5 dollars a bottle for their medications. It was $2 dollars a bottle when I utilized this service when I was homeless so the cost has gone up quite a bit.

Not long after I arrived home from work, mom came pulling up into my driveway.

“Will you drive me down to fill up my car?” Mom asked. “I don’t want to drive on highway 31.”

My mother is a terrible driver and she knows this.

“Sure,” I replied. “Let me put my shirt back on.”

Being a small town, we still have a family owned gas station with full service. My father’s pharmacy has an account with them so we can just charge the gas (petrol) we get. I drove mom down to that station and rolled down my window. An attendant walked out.

“What grade?” He asked.

“Regular unleaded and fill her up,” I replied as I sat in the car.

The attendant started to pump our gas, check the oil, and wash off the windshield.

“This is really nice,” I thought as I sat in the cool confines of the car on a hot July day.

“That will be $30.18,” The attendant said as he walked back up to my window.

“Charge this to Fairfax Pharmacy,” I replied.

“Sure will. Ya’ll have a nice day,” He said.

I then drove me and mom down to my father’s pharmacy which is just a few hundred yards from the gas station. Mom wanted to get a diet coke and I needed some batteries for my MP3 player. My father was not there and his stand in pharmacist was on duty. We got what we needed and then headed back up through the valley. Mom then handed me a dollar as I was driving.

“What’s this for?” I asked.

“I am going to give you a dollar a day to put in the AA donation basket,” Mom said. “You seem to be doing so well lately and I want to help out with the cause.”

“Mom, you don’t have to do that,” I replied.

“I insist,” She said. “I ran by the bank today and changed two twenties and got $40 dollars in ones just for your meetings.”

“Well, the group will really appreciate the extra money,” I replied.

“As long as you will go, I will give you the money,” Mom replied.

I drove us on home and parked mom’s car in the garage and walked back to my house. My parent’s maid is cooking supper tonight and mom is supposed to call me when it is ready. It should be around 6 PM. Fanny is cooking fried cubed steak, rice, steamed broccoli, and dinner rolls. I am going to eat real quick and then head to my 7 PM Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.