weird query

Back in the mid eighties I worked at the now defunct Eckerd Drug store in Alabama City.  I liked the job because I liked the manager and the staff there.  It was there that I started dating a sizzling hot co-worker.  I ended up marrying her.  True story, but not the one I'm going to tell tonight.

Every now and then when the pharmacy in the back of the store was swamped or short handed, I'd be asked to come off working the floor and field the pharmacy phone calls and ring up Rx pick-ups.  That night Lee McClendon was the pharmacist (nice guy) and was slammed filling prescriptions.  The phone was ringing a good bit and I'd answer calls and Lee would answer any questions that I couldn't answer.  I didn't know much about that department, so I usually asked him a lot of questions.  He didn't seem to mind.  He never looked up, he'd just kept on what he was doing and answer my questions.

I got this one call.  The lady on the other end of the phone asked, "Do you have Ayds?"  I misunderstood her question.  I asked her to repeat her query.  Again she asked "Do you have Ayds?"  I looked over to Lee and said, this is strange.  He said without looking up "What's strange?"   This lady wants to know if I have Aids.  Lee kept working and replied, "Tell her yes."  My mind went blank as I starred at Lee and back at the phone. "Tell her yes.", he repeated.  I then put the receiver back to my ear.  "I don't have Aids ma'am."  Lee looked up at me an made eye contact and stated in a lowder and firmer voice, "TELL HER WE HAVE AYDS DAVID!"

"Ma'am, the pharmacist says that he has Aids."  The lady then asked if we had Chocolate Aids!  The call in my mind was going south real quick and I was beginning to think this was a practical joke...but she sounded so serious and so did Lee.  "Chocolate Aids?" I said out loud.  "Yes, tell her yes we have Chocolate Ayds!"   I looked at him and said, "That's disgusting!"  Lee shook his head and grabbed the phone from my hand.  He took charge of the situation and took the rest of the call. Afterwards, Lee walked me over to the display and showed me that YES David, we do have Ayds!  We have Ayds!

"oh" I said.

True story.