I find myself at Muscat Pharmacy in City Center on a Thursday evening just after sunset prayer has been called. I don't have a purpose of being at the pharmacy other than the fact that my three-month pregnant friend is struggling with constipation and is too embarrassed to ask the pharmacist if they have enema suppositories in stock, and I need to initiate the inquiry. The exchange goes something like this:
At the U-shaped counter, there are three pharmacists working the counter -- all from India. The youngest pharmacist is least busy, and so I lead my friend with me to the right leg of the U.
Me: Hi, how are you?
YP: Fine, ma'am. And you?
Me: Okay. With a look of confusion. Do you have any enema items?
YP: Ene...ene... no, ma'am.
Me: Or maybe enema suppositories? I make it a point to articulate each syllable of the word suppository.
YP: No, ma'am.
It's pretty clear that he doesn't know what it is we're asking for, and so he defaults to saying that it isn't at the pharmacy. Luckily, one of the more senior pharmacists becomes available, takes mercy on us, and comes over to where we are.
SP: What's the problem, ma'am?
Me: Ah, okay. Do you have enema suppositories?
SP: Enema. Thinks about this for a second, then in a loud voice says, EneMA?! He moves his hand down to his waist and then gives an away gesture with this hand while saying: For helping with the motion?
Me: Yes, to help with motion. I want to laugh, but know that it will embarrass my friend if I make it public that I am currently thinking that this guy would do pretty well in Charades.
SP: Yes. Calls to the other senior pharmacist in Hindi. Then to me, Adult, right? Or child? Adult?
Me: Yes, adult.
He then side talks with the younger pharmacist to explain in Hindi what exactly I'm asking for and its purpose. Then, he goes to the stock area and comes back with a box of 12-count suppositories. My friend was planning to not get the suppository kind, but a different one, and so she has to read the box and then confer with me that what we're getting is what she really wants.
Friend: How much is it?
SP: 670 ($1.51 USD)
As my friend gets the money ready, she asks if there is a certain pregnancy vitamin available, which it's not. I step away from the counter so that she can complete the transaction. As we leave with the bag with the enema suppositories, she says to me, "Well, I guess it's pretty obvious that it's for me since I paid for it."
3 comments:
i love this monique! it reminds me of when we were in china and andy and em were trying to help buy me something for my congestion. quite the experience.
Tell her to drink LOTS of water; that will help!! My obgyn had me start taking metamucil too.
Scy - It is always an experience, especially when what you think is the least common denominator to understand is not mutually understood.
CricketPE - I will tell her about this. Not sure if Metamucil is here, but maybe at one of the European market chains.
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