A fellow with a bad cough comes in to the pharmacy,walks up to the counter and asks for the pharmacist. A young clerk tells him that the pharmacist is not available. The man asks the young clerk if he can recommend anything for his cough. The clerk gives him a bottle of some medicine for his cough. The customer takes a big swig, then after a few minutes,with no apparent relief, he takes another, and another.
一個人咳嗽得非常厲害,他到藥房去抓藥。當他走近柜臺找藥劑師的時候,一個年輕的店員告訴他藥劑師這會兒很忙。那個人就問這個年輕的店員能不能給他點藥來止咳。那個店員就給他一瓶藥水止咳,那個人就喝下一大口。過了幾分鐘,癥狀沒有明顯的好轉(zhuǎn),他就又喝了一大口,接著又一大口。
In a short while, the pharmacist returns,and sees his old friend,the customer with the cough, sitting quietly in a booth near the soda fountain. He says to his clerk that the fellow has never before stopped at the soda fountain.
過了不久,藥劑師回來看到他,那咳嗽的老朋友,安靜地坐在冰柜旁。他對他的店員說,那個人從來沒有在冰柜旁逗留過,現(xiàn)在是怎么回事?
The clerk proudly tells the pharmacist the story of his transaction. The pharmacist looks at the recommended medication and angrily reprimands the clerk for recommending a laxative,instead of cough syrup. The clerk reminds the pharmacist whatever the mode, the medication was effective. The pharmacist replies,"Now, he’s afraid to cough!”
那個年輕的店員把自己處理的辦法自豪地告訴藥劑師。藥劑師看著他給的藥,嚴厲地責備店員怎么能用瀉藥而不是止咳糖漿來止咳。店員提醒藥劑師,不管什么方法,藥開始起作用了。藥劑師反駁說:“現(xiàn)在他是不敢咳嗽了!”