161. Not Sold Over the Counter

One of Barb's favorite activities since moving to United States was watching television. She especially loved the commercials. "You really can buy anything here America!" she told her friends. One afternoon she watching television and saw a commercial that really her attention. It showed a cartoon woman tossing turning. The woman in the commercial was unable sleep because she was busy thinking about the that had passed and worrying about the day . Barb wasn't quite sure what the commercial was . Was it a bed? Was it a pillow? it just a public service announcement urging people sleep more? Suddenly a voice on the television speaking very quickly, listing side effects of the pill the commercial was advertising. One of the effects was insomnia. Barb thought that seemed like odd side effect for a sleeping pill.

The day Barb happened to be in the local pharmacy picking up a few things. She remembered commercial she had seen the night before for sleeping pills. She walked up and down the looking for them. Since she saw it advertised television, she thought she might try them. Sometimes had a hard time sleeping. When she couldn't the pills on her own, she walked over the pharmacy counter and asked the pharmacist where could find the pills.

"Do you have a ?" the pharmacist asked. Barn explained that she didn't, she saw the pills advertised on television and she would try them. "Those are not available the counter," the pharmacist explained. Barb thought it dumb for there to be a commercial for she couldn't just go get at the store. walked out of the pharmacy without buying anything.