An infuriated woman made her way to the pharmacy counter. I need to speak to someone, “She shouted”. The pharmacy technicians exchanged glances to see who was available. They were all occupied. “We’ll be right with you”, one of them called out. She stood there with her hands on the counter as though she intended to jump over it. Some people waiting in line glared at her begrudgingly. “I guess some people don’t have to wait in line”, one of them remarked sarcastically. One of the technicians made his way over to her, “How can I help you?”

She looked at the technicians and rolled her eyes, “FINALLY! I’ve been standing here forever.”

The technician looked over at the clock noticing it had been four minutes. That meant 16 more minutes until her shift was over. “How can I help you?” the technician asked. The woman, slapped her hands against the table and said, “I need to return these syringes, it’s not the kind I need”.

The technician looked at the syringes and then back at the woman, “Unfortunately, we can’t take syringes back. It’s a state law”.

The woman smiled and announced, “Of course, you can take it back!”

The technician could not believe it.

The other technicians could not believe it.

The pharmacist could not believe it.

I couldn’t believe it.

No one could believe it.

They changed the law just for her!? She was that special. And the louder she spoke, the more special she became.

But in reality, they did not change the law for her, and she could not, in fact, return them.

The technician said, “I’m sorry, it is state law, that’s why we always ask you before purchasing syringes…”