Something to be thankful for...I think

I have a minor medical problem that I figured might need some antibiotics; so I went by the doctor's office yesterday. Turns out that although (thanks to having lots of kids) I know everybody who works there by name, I myself was actually a "new patient" and had to fill out a lot of paperwork. I don't, you see, generally bother to go to the doctor. Dentist, yes. Doctor...well, why go to the doctor if you aren't sick? (And by "sick" I mean "sick enough to be willing to shell out a co-pay and take time off work rather than just working from a coffee shop until you feel better".)

Well, she gave me a prescription, and I went to Walgreen's.

PHARMACIST: Are you already in our computer?

ME: I should be, I would think...actually, I don't know, I don't remember the last time I had a prescription.

PHARMACIST: What's your date of birth?

ME: Eighth of November, 1966. And I might be under there as "Darrell" rather than "Ken."

[PHARMACIST bangs away on the computer a bit, then leans back into the mike.]

PHARMACIST: Mr. Pierce, what's your address?

ME: 731 South Marathon Way...

PHARMACIST: Do you maybe have an old address in our system?

ME: I imagine so; it's been a while. What address do you have?

PHARMACIST: Whitetail Drive.

ME: Um...yeah, that's me. Wow, that was a long time ago.

So, now I get to decide whether to be glass-half-full or glass-half-empty. See, I have moved -- no kidding -- seven times since last I lived at Whitetail Drive, seven miles back from the "No Outlet" sign on the edge of the Pedernales River's canyon through the Texas Hill Country. So either I can be thankful that I'm healthy enough to go seven residences between medical prescriptions...or else I can be depressed from having moved seven times in the last seven years.

Oh, what the hey, it's Thanksgiving -- let's go for thankful, shall we?

By the way, I'm also more thankful than I can possible say for three things: each and every one of my children (okay, that's strictly speaking nine things, but don't go getting picky on me), my parents and sister and nieces (just stop counting, will ya?) and for the unbelievable friends I have.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!