I recently asked the two pharmacists that I work with to write recommendations for me so that I can volunteer at a pharmacy in the city. One of the pharmacists, John, told me a couple weeks ago that he completed and submitted it. I emailed my contact person last week, and she said that she had not received it. I figured that it was some sort of online form, and that John had neglected to hit "Submit" or something, based on my experience watching him work with computers. When I got to the pharmacy, he told me that he faxed it (something that he does multiple times on a daily basis) awhile ago, but he still had the form. He went to the back and got it, then showed it to me. My name was not indicated anywhere on the form. An excerpt from the subsequent conversation follows.
Me:
Could you please write my name on the recommendation?
John:
[Gazing intently at me] Your eyes are two different colors, aren't they?
Me:
[Suddenly concerned that I am having some sort of brain malfunction] Um, not that I know of?
John:
Yeah, that one's darker than that one.
Me:
[Baffled] Oh, really? Ok. Anyway, could you write my name here?
John:
Yeah, that's probably why they haven't accepted you yet.
[I ignored the fact that what was supposed to be a 9 in the fax number looked suspiciously like a 5 in his handwriting, so I am guessing that he just faxed it to the wrong number.]
I suppose there are a couple of lessons to be learned here. One is that fax is whack. The other is to always be on your toes and expect the unexpected when talking to older male pharmacists. From what I've seen, the profession always seems to make them kind of quirky after awhile. Maybe that's just how all older men are.
Also, please note that I examined my eyes when I got home, and they are still, as they always have been, hazel-ish green. I can't believe I actually checked.
