In sickness and in health

I am not a drinker, so the only time anyone asks to see my ID is when I'm going through airport security or a zealous cashier wants to make sure it's really me buying Doritos at Ralphs. But I've been carded three times in the past week or so because I bought various cold medicines. Every time I think, "Do I look like I'm trying to start a meth lab?" I know the poor teenagers behind the register can't help it; the machines won't continue working without a swipe from my ID. I still hate being made to feel like I'm suspected of something sinister when all I want is my nose to stop running and my cough to stop. I haven't read the health care bill, but I think we should all write to our congresspeople to put an end to this practice. And if the cops come to check up on me, I have a trashcan full of Kleenex as evidence of my innocence.

Since I've had the cough for over a week and it's not really getting better, I had two people in unrelated conversations suggest that I go see a doctor about it before it becomes bronchitis. "After all, why else do you have health insurance?" Good point. And since I have had respiratory infections that lasted forever and turned nasty, I decided to visit my local walk-in clinic (someday I will find a primary care physician and make real appointments. Today is not that day). The doctor said I probably have what everybody else seems to have and gave me a prescription for antibiotics, cough syrup, and steroids to repair the damage the coughing has already done. I thanked her and headed to CVS. The first time the pharmacist rang me up, my total was $118. We both kind of blinked at the number, then she asked if I had insurance. Uh...yeah. Why didn't you ask for it before? The second total was $27. Tonight I am going to say an extra prayer of thanks that I have a job with health coverage. And then hope the codine cough syrup knocks me out for the night.