It Just Wasn't a Good Day

There's a well deserved, well earned and traditional little perk that active duty military in uniform get on base. During busy times, such as lunch time, they go to the front of the line at the BX, the commissary, the pharmacy refill, and so on. The theory is that they have to get back to such important work that they shouldn't have to wait. Fair enough. And in 17 years, I have never had anyone in uniform use that particular benefit.

Usually, I notice and offer for them to go ahead, which by the way, I do for older people, disabled, people on oxygen--I'm usually a friggin' nice person. But Friday, I just wasn't. It was almost 3:00 on Friday afternoon and there are more people heading home than actually in their offices, and I'm in a rush, just like everyone else, because I have a ceremony to get to.

First of all, the parking lot was closed for work, so I had to park in Iowa. And of course, I didn't give myself very much time to do this, so I'm on the verge of being late for the promotion ceremony I was heading to.

Then, there's only one clerk working. But, no big deal, I mean the line usually goes pretty fast, so I still had some time. So what if that poor older man is having trouble getting his prescription filled because he called in too early and they've got this ultra-confusing policy about when you can refill your prescription and when you can't.

Then, it's finally my turn and I'm going to make it! But no. There's a man in uniform behind me, so they ask me to step aside so that he can come up. And he did! Not only that, when he was finished, the other guy in uniform waived at the clerk, and she asked me to step aside again.

WTF?!?

It's 3:00 on a Friday afternoon, and you expect me to believe these guys are going back to work? Yeah, for beer call maybe.

So, I was late for the ceremony, which thank goodness started late. And poor Al met me and walked in with me venting. Luckily, he was surprised too and thought it pretty rude that those guys actually did that. I told him that I would ask him to get out of the AF as soon as possible, but if there's anyone who gets treated worse than an active duty dependent, it's a dependent retiree.

There. I feel much better now. I would post this the day it happens, but I just posted the Venice stuff, so I'll wait. It seems kind of silly to wait, but I thought I better tell you I waited, or you'll think, Damn girl, obsess often? Which you may be thinking anyway, but really, I feel much better now. Really *eye twitching*.