Free Medicine At Walgreens

I like Walgreens. They have my drugs. My number one drug is cold Pellegrino mineral water in the small bottle. My number two drug is shelled pistachios in the small bag. That's why I like Walgreens. They have both. When I need a diet coke and a candy bar, I get Pellegrino and pistachios instead. I'm trying to live healthier, now that I've spent the last 50 years building up plaque in my arteries and brain.

So, this morning I went to Walgreens for a good multivitamin. I'm thinking it couldn't hurt, right? By the way, there are a lot of vitamins at Walgreens. Too many, if you ask me. I'm trying to make up my mind when another man walks by, excusing himself as he shops for his own multivitamin.

As he leaves, he says, "Man, medicine is expensive." I agree and keep shopping. "You know, it ought to be free," he added. I looked up and smiled. "No," he continued, "something that helps you live ought to be free because life is free. Why do they charge for something that's going to help you live?" He was totally serious.

I'm not going to bore you with the rest of the conversation, but it meandered from free medicine, to the environment, to the Mexican's conspiracy to poison us all with drugs, to . . . well, I don't quite remember everything.  I'm not sure what his worldview was, but I know it was unique.

And to think, all I went to Walgreens for was a bottle of vitamins. . . Oh, and some of that extra dark chocolate. It's supposed to be good for your heart.