Watch Out for Those Over the Counter Drugs!

Something happened while I was shopping at Target over the weekend that still has me amused and bewildered. After plopping all my items on the counter at the check-out, I waited for the clerk to total it up standing ready with my credit card. As he was finishing up he sort of casually told me he'd need to see some ID for one of my items. Huh? "Just get out the card and I'll scan it." I looked at him through narrowed eyes and wrinkled eyebrows. Not understanding, I started sliding my credit card through the machine. That was fine to do at that point, but not what he meant. No, I was supposed to get out my license, some form of ID.

I stared at him and said, "I don't understand. Why?"

He then told me that since I was purchasing a bottle of NyQuil, he needed to see my ID. WHAT?

A dim light of reason filtered through my brain. Ah, alcohol. NyQuil has alcohol in it. Here I am a 54-year-old woman buying a product with alcohol in it. The clerk wants to make sure I'm over 21. Ha Ha ha! Good God.

I laughed out loud. Being in a hurry, I simply complied with his request. I left the store with my purchases mulling over the whole thing. Never before have I had to show my ID in order to buy items such as NyQuil. Is this something new? Are stores so petrified about getting in trouble with the law (in case some minor decides to swig a whole bottle of NyQuil to get drunk) that they now force everybody to whip out their license if they want to purchase a bottle?

Or is it everybody? Does everybody have to do it? I don't have to show my license at the liquor store whenever I buy wine or beer. Why do I have to show it at a department store?

It doesn't make sense to me. I got home and took out the bottle. Another laugh when I looked at it. It isn't even NyQuil, it's DayQuil. There's no alcohol in it! Gee, I guess I could have stood there arguing with the clerk. I could have made a scene!

Sigh. Maybe the clerk was just paying me a huge compliment (if looking younger than 21 is a compliment at this stage of life).

Nah, that can't be it.

I wonder what will happen if I try to buy some glue.