My recent battles with a sinus infection, as well as my daughter's own bout with Pink Eye, have placed me in the pharmacy line several times in the past week. And each time I've gone, I'm completely unable to understand the concept behind the alleged 'privacy zone' they've mapped out by the counter. It's ludicrous at best, and just another example of stupid human tricks, or addressing a possible issue with a placebo solution.
My hearing is far from perfect, yet even at four times the distance from the floor decal and signs that mark the privacy perimeter, it's impossible for me to not hear the counter personnel discussing the medication with the customers. Even with hushed tones, I'm still able to clearly make out the unsavory side effects that a generic tube of ointment is expected to cause, as well as how long the application may need to remain in place in order to ensure the entire crab colony is eradicated. Now that is really not something I need to hear while waiting for a simple sinus medication be filled, clutching a box of tissues and a can of clam chowder that is suddenly destined to be returned to the shelf un-purchased.
How exactly is an imaginary three feet barrier supposed to comfort the patient into believing that the crowd surrounding them will not be tipped off to their struggles with one personal ailment or another? Is some invisible Get Smart cone-of-silence being lowered without our knowing? Because if it is, then, uh, 'tap-tap-tap... helloooo.... we can still hear you!'.
Somewhere in the history of the retail pharmaceutical industry, enough patron's likely found themselves and their medical circumstances being overexposed at the compact section in the back of the store. Surely, it'd be uncomfortable having one's medical circumstances being discussed in so open a forum. I empathize. I truly do. So much so, in fact, that it's insulting to think one's expected to consider the distance provided is ample enough to maintain a sense of intimate discretion. Far from it. Not only is the distance NOT enough to exclude me from learning that medications intended to constrain involuntary flatulence may cause drowsiness or headaches, it's not enough distance for me to avoid having deduced the customer's reasons for being at the counter in the first place.
Things like this bug me because they're just not sensible. There's no thought or rational reason for anybody to think this is effective in the least. Sure, visitor's may be reminded to keep a moderate distance, and they'll nonchalantly look about or shuffle their feet in feigned ignorance, but nobody's fooling anybody. So why the charade? That's the rub.
