I went to Elephant Pharmacy to get my Ortho-Tricyclen prescription filled. I haven't needed this filled the entire time I've lived in Berkeley, thanks to an abundant supply from Wash U's health services.

So I went in and flashed the script in front of the pharmacist's assistant and asked him, "How much?" It's taken me a long time as an EP customer before I began to suspect that it isn't my prescriptions that are expensive but the pharmacy's prices. (Yes, there's a difference.)

So, he went away for about five minutes and returned to tell me that it would cost $54. I laughed in his face.

I know it's not his fault that it's so expensive, but I just couldn't help myself. I took the prescription back and started walking away. But then I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt: "Wait, that's for 30 days?" Surely he meant that it was a two-month supply.

"28," he said.

I continued walking, but then I couldn't stop myself. "I used to get this for $10," I said. He nodded. "Without insurance." He nodded. "You guys are absurdly expensive." I had turned into the crotchety old woman who was trying to make a scene. Fortunately, there was no one to take notice. I am ridiculous sometimes.

So, I went down the street to Long's Drugs and had the prescription filled for $39. It's still not great, but it's better than Elephant Pharmacy. I can't believe I've actually been going there on a regular basis.

On a similar note, I've been embarrassing Leon a lot lately in the car. He'll be driving, and I'll flip off the asshole who cuts in front of us or who tries to illegally pass us on the shoulder.

Last night, on our way to the store, I honked the horn at the car in front of us, because he was just sitting in the left-turn lane and wouldn't turn. The man just threw up his hands. Leon said, "No, don't do that!" and so I apologized. I'm going to have to get better control of myself, but only for Leon's sake. I still continue to honk and flip off whomever I choose when I'm behind the wheel.

I hate the way people drive in St. Louis.

Yesterday, I was driving on a fairly busy street, in the left lane. The light turned yellow, and I knew I had enough time to stop. So I did.

The light turned red.

This white van behind me, whose driver was obviously pissed as hell that I stopped at the light, refused to stop. He instead, sped off into oncoming traffic, ran the next two red lights, and finally stopped a little bit ahead, when it was evident that he couldn't go any farther (medians can be such a bitch!).

I'm always so annoyed when people break the rules and get away with it. So, naturally, I decided that I would catch up with him. This wasn't hard--traffic was congested where he was, and he was only a couple of lights ahead.

A few blocks later, I was in the right lane next to him. I flipped him off. This was weird because he was looking through the side window in the back at me. It's as if he expected me to do something, you know? I wasn't even trying to get his attention.

He flipped me off.

I continued driving past him. He caught up with me, and said something to the effect of, "Fuck you!"

I returned the insult.

I think he said something else, unintelligible.

I called him a redneck.

More middle fingers.

And then we parted ways. I'm awfully amazed that I didn't have a wreck during this, as all my attention was directed to the side of me, rather than straight ahead.

And it felt so weird to be confrontational like that, because I'm not usually that kind of person. I've flipped off maybe three people in traffic before. I usually don't get the opportunity and probably wouldn't use it, if I did.

But, yeah, the whole thing was surreal. And he had a child in the passenger's seat. I bet he's just Father of the Year. Geez, what a joke.