No Chemist Queue, No Waiting, But Never Easy

A simple trip to the chemist to get some medication for Baba should have been plain sailing, but this is Bulgaria and things like that just don't happen.

The day before I had dropped off Baba's personal medication booklet in which all prescribed medication is recorded. The chemist didn't have stock of one type of tablet and this was due to be picked up the next day (today) with payment. The book was left with the chemist so it could be recorded signed and stamped ready for collection. - Simple so far isn't it.

On turning up to the chemist shop there was no waiting as there were no queues. this makes a change from many shopping and bill paying chores I'd done recently in Yambol. I also saw the same person who served me the previous day. She told me that there was no medication booklet for Baba here and I was to try another chemist 100 metres down the road! I told here that I saw here yesterday and personally handed over the booklet to her, but she still insisted the book wasn't there and again to go the neighbouring chemist.

I was completely mystified initially by this complete lapse of memory of this middle aged chemist assistant, added to which an ever growing suspicion that perhaps my Bulgarian wasn't fully understood and this was quite depressing.

So off I tramp to the next chemist knowing fully well that the booklet wasn't there and I would be wasting their time and my time when I get there. Time isn't important here, so I carried on regardless to practice my Bulgarian if nothing else.

Again, no queues no waiting as I asked it there was Baba's medication booklet in their hands. A couple of women assistants who deal with me in tandem understood me completely and started searching for the booklet. A few minutes later they came back an told me what I expected to hear, there was no booklet. They then went away to get a man in the chemist office who spoke a little English. This was a complete waste of time as I told him the story in Bulgarian and he confirmed back to me in very bad English that he understood completely, but there is no booklet here.

It was back to the original chemist, yet again, no queues, no waiting and saw the same assistant once again. I explained that the book must be here and for her to look for it again. She went away to return a moment later with the booklet along with the prescribed tablets that were delivered today and rubberbanded to the booklet. Bulgarians in the main don't normally apologise from my experience, well according to most they are never wrong and this was the case here. No apology just a comment saying, "Sitchko dobre," or "Everything is okay."

So Baba finally got her medication and I got my speaking Bulgarian confidence back. It is funny how on so many occasions that a simple task is never really a simple task in Bulgaria.