Old People

One thing I miss about working at a normal Walgreens is all of the elderly customers. The store I work at now is pretty small as it is practically located on UNC’s campus. There is no parking lot at this store so we don’t get that many elderly customers..They either don’t want to walk or can’t walk which makes sense..when I’m old I don’t want to have to walk to the pharmacy either haha. Anyways...even though we don’t have a parking lot we still get a few and I love it when they come in.


A few weeks back an old man came in looking for his shaving cream, the packaging on his had changed so he asked me to help him look for it so I did. It was a pretty slow day that day so after we found his shaving cream we just sat in the aisle and talked about life for a good 30-45 minutes. Old people love to do this and I love to hear their life story so I listen and then share mine. It makes both of us feel good.

Well this man came in again today, at first I didn’t recognize him because he was all dressed up in his Carolina gear (he is a retired professor from the university) he told me today would probably be the only day I saw him all dressed up because he had just finished having lunch with the chancellor after a morning of golf. (I wish I lived this retired lifestyle...well maybe not the golf part but I could enjoy a good lunch date and day at the spa) Anyways, he said he was coming to find me to help him find his Gatorade because he remembered the customer service and listening ear I provided the last time. He said he needed the Gatorade to drink before and after his routine colonoscopy (a little TMI but he’s fun to talk to regardless). Haha..Today was a little busy so we didn’t get to chat long but he remembered that I was applying to grad school to become a doctor in something unusual and asked me about it. I reminded him it was for audiology and then he remembered right away—I told him I was waitlisted and deciding between two other schools. He congratulated me and wished me the best—hoping for Carolina. This 10 minute conversation made my day. I love customers like him.

Mrs. Dorothy is another elderly customer her comes in on occasion when she’s headed to the post office. This woman makes me laugh, she’s always looking for some wrinkle cream—saying stuff like “enjoy your twenties when you’re 80 like me you get ugly and there is nothing you can do about it.” She likes me to tell her stories about Disney because when she was younger she did some stuff with Broadway and it reminds her about it. Mrs. Dorothy always has something interesting to say.

Not only do I enjoy talking to old people at work but I’ll listen to their stories anywhere. When we go on family vacations I don’t pick the spot at the pool next to the cute boy who I’d like to give my number to but I choose the seat next to the old couple watching their grandkids play in the pool. Old people LOVE to talk about their grandkids..haha its their favorite topic and I like listening.

I also find it entertaining to just watch older couples especially if they are bickering..I remember before my grandmother passed away she’d always do the cooking and my grandpa would do the dishes..My grandpa was a pretty good cook too so sometimes he’d sneak in the kitchen and try to tell her what to do and she’d “yell” at him to get out of the way and as soon as he’d turn his head she’d make a face at him. The face two year olds make at each other when teasing (stuck out tongue and everything). I know I’ll be just like her one day.

I have so many other stories I’d love to share like how my other grandpa went and ate at the soup kitchen once a week (like my grandmother didn’t feed him) just to make friends haha...but this is getting long and drawn out. I think you get the point...I love old people :)

Today was a good day