In addition to meeting the chaacters of the Old West through stories, we ran into some modern day characters.
My cousin Robb is a salesperson for a drug company that sells only to independent pharmacies. The job over the last 30 plus years has gotten tougher. The company he orginally worked for was purchased, and then that one bought by a bigger fish. Independent pharmacies are disappearing and the economic squeeze on everyone, even drug companies, trickles down to the sales staff, requiring them to make more visitis to pharmacists and, at the same time, reduce travel expenses. Robb’s territory is western ND, SD and Nebraska. Lots of open land from one small town to another. He doesn’t like it as much as he used to but it’s all he’s ever done and, like many of us, is adverse to change.
Included in his territory are pharmacies on Indian Reservations. Alcoholism and drug addiction are notoriously high on the res. There is a sense of lawlessness, poverty, and sadness on the res. Robb’s job includes carrying drug samples .. and a nine mllimeter pitol in case he’s accosted.
Robb’s favorite phrase? “Better living through pharmancy”.