[Pseudoscience-is-malarkey (OP)]

I don't want to insult any of them, therefor I never ask. I know every pill has to be accounted for to avoid theft- and missing pills is far more serious than missing bottles of Diet Pepsi, but still...

[paul cotter]

They are busy doing background check on you and your doctor!!

[alancalverd]

It's part of the procedure.

Two essential lessons are taught in medical schools. Doctors learn to write indecipherably, and pharmacists learn to guess what doctors have written.

There are only about 40 possible combinations of one or two primary colors, so the first question the pharmacist asks you is "have you had these before?", thus halving the possibility that his guess will be wrong. It is also a good idea to dress appropriately so he doesn't confuse between viagra and HRT. We're now down to about 10 choices. So the next question is "is the prescription for you or someone else?" - self, parent, elderly neighbor  or child pretty much consolidates his best guess , so he waits a bit to see if you scratch, sneeze, or clutch your chest in agony, then asks "are you diabetic, on immunosuppressants, or antihypertensives?" "Have you had your flu jab?" and other over-the-counter chit chat. 

Now we are down to maybe one or two probable medications, so he counts out the pills and shows them to you, asking "do you need any further instructions?"  to which you reply "the doctor told me to take then after  meal - is that correct?" "They used to be green and yellow, and smaller" or some other giveaway.  And thus, my dear Watson, we have  it, despite the illegibly scrawled, crumpled, tearstained prescription.

Of course if the surgery is still open, the pharmacist simply faxes the prescription  back to the nurse, secretary or receptionist with the note "WTF???" and gets a phone call while you are waiting.  In extremis, "Out of stock - (a) can you call back tomorrow? (level 1),  or (b) try the hospital (panic level 2)"

[Bored chemist]

Usually, because of the queue

[Pseudoscience-is-malarkey (OP)]

It shouldn't take 40 minutes to fill a tube of penis cream.

[Origin]

It shouldn't take 40 minutes to fill a tube of penis cream.

You frequently post things that sound like something a giggling 12 year old boy would write.

[paul cotter]

Attempted toilet humour, I guess.