That's what we get for trying to conserve gasoline.

There's this prescription I occasionally refill. It won't kill me to do without it, but at times I need it for my personal comfort.

I decided it was time to pick up another round of the stuff.

Now remember, we live in the boonies. I usually have our prescriptions filled at the Oak Grove Walmart because it's the closest one to us. That's where my prescription was on file.

But we were going to a tractor show Saturday that took us through Richmond. Cliff suggested that we stop at the Walmart there, see if they could transfer the prescription from Oak Grove, and then we'd pick it up on our way home from the tractor show.

The lady in the pharmacy assured us there was no problem; in fact, she did the transfer while we waited. We told her we'd be back to pick it up after noon.

Unfortunately, it turns out they were out of the product; it might be there by Tuesday, a guy told us.

So we hadn't saved a trip at all. In fact, we had created the need for a longer trip, since Richmond is ten miles farther from our house than Oak Grove.

Tuesday we made a run to Home Depot in Blue Springs. There's a Walmart next to Home Depot. In fact, it's the Walmart I boycotted for all of eight months. But hey, with the price of gas, I'll go to whichever Walmart is on the way to where I'm going.

I called Blue Springs and asked if they could transfer the prescription from Richmond. I explained that Richmond didn't have it when we were there. The lady checked on the computer and assured me this was no problem.

But it was, because for some reason they just hadn't been able to get the transfer done yet, when we arrived.

Today Cliff simply decided we'd give up trying to save gas, make a dead-end trip, and go back to Blue Springs Walmart and pick up my meds. I called first to make sure the transfer went through. Yes, Gerri said, upon checking. It had gone through.

"So it'll be there if I come and pick it up pretty soon?"

"Let me make sure we have it in stock."

They did, she informed me. But I had the strangest feeling this trip was going to be another loss.

Sure enough. The overworked pharmacy had gotten behind filling scripts, and mine wasn't ready yet. Furthermore, Gerri had no idea when it would be ready. We didn't have all day. After all, Cliff leaves for work at 2:30.

I think I remember why I boycotted this particular Walmart.

It's a good thing my prescription isn't a life-or-death matter.

Remind me to leave my prescriptions at the Oak Grove Walmart from now on. I'm afraid to try switching this particular prescription back right now, though, since I've already had it transferred twice in the past week. I might break a computer.