It's So Hard to Say Goodbye...so I Will Just Say Good Luck!!

Wednesday, September 9 marked a history in making. Joe Busuttil the Pharmacist at Wal*Mart left Ithaca, New York to go live in Greer, South Carolina. I knew it was going to happen, but I didn't think that it was going to happen this fast. He has lived in Ithaca, NY and has taken care of so many people for 33 years. I also knew that I was going to cry, but again, I didn't think that I would cry in front of him. I posted some pictures of him just to reminisce of what we (Joe and I) had together and not to mention some of my favorite pictures of him.

Oh and by the way, if you want to see them (the pictures) bigger, feel free to click on them. The picture above is by far my favorite on of all. Whenever I got a medical pen (a pen with a drug name on it), he would beg for it since he collects them. And when I said no, he would give me a frown like you see above and of course, like always I gave in and gave it to him. Now if I get a pen, I will always remember the frown he would give me and just smile. It has already been two days and I miss him very much. I didn't think that I would, but I do. OK, now more pictures.

Every Sunday that Joe worked (which was every other weekend of course), he ordered food like his Pharmacist used to do and of course, since I worked every weekend I would take advantage of the food that he bought. He would order Chicken Parm. sandwiches or Pizza and boy were they good! In this picture though, he decided that he would change things up a bit and get a meatball sandwich and we both agreed that it was the biggest mistake he could have ever made (the sandwich sent us to the bathroom).

The following pictures are of Joe and some of his Technicians that he used to work with. John was one of them. Granted, John didn't get to work with Joe that long, but when Joe, John, and I worked together it was fun and yet stressful. Stressful for the fact that John felt that he didn't get to do as much as I did or that he wasn't learning anything but overall, I wouldn't trade working with John for anything. He was and still is someone that I can turn to whether it would be about work, Joe, Wal-Mart or just life. Next to James, I would have to admit that John is one of my closest friends and I couldn't thank you God anymore than I do for him. Here's another picture of John and Joe:

Out of all the Technicians that Joe and I worked with, Korrina (with whom I am pictured with below.) by far was the best (well, one of them...just kidding) Technicians that I have ever worked with. We never argued, got into a fight, or just clashed. We worked and laughed and I wish that all the Techs that I worked with were just like her. Then again, I did work with Danielle and she comes to a close second on one of my favorite Technicians that I got to work with.
When Korrina and I worked at CVS together, we would buy each other food and whenever I had a question, she would help me instead of brush me aside like most Certified Pharmacy Technicians do to a new person like myself. Even though I am not working with Korrina anymore, she has taught me so much and I thank Joe and Chad (another Pharmacy Technician) for bringing us together (hope that makes sense). Heck, there's a good chance that I may work with Korrina again, it all depends on if Dennis (the Pharmacy Manager at CVS) will hire me back with more hours and more pay. Then again, I don't know if I want to leave Wal*Mart. I think that I have it really good right now and the fact that Joe left, will mark only good things and new beginnings rather than bad things and old beginnings.
I saved the best picture for last. Before I left for Illinois last summer, I took several pictures of Joe and everyone (hence, the pictures you see here) and John took a picture of Joe and I.

Joe is more than a Pharmacist to me, he's the Father that I never had. He knows that because I always called him Dad and sometimes I called him Joe-Joe. No one else called him this well, then again, Liz called him Dad once, but I am the youngest one there in the Pharmacy and I called him Dad (not in front of customers of course). A lot of his customers will miss his warm smile, his attention to detail, and how he took care of them, but I will miss more than that. I will miss the man that I could turn to when I just needed someone to vent to while I was at work or just someone to yell at (yep, we had our shouting matches).
Joe is at a better place now. He's away from the snow and he is with his girlfriend. It took nine years for them to finally be happy and now they are. His girlfriend even told me that she's looking forward to finally seeing (she's been at their new house by herself for almost two months now) him. So, in closing, Good luck Joe! I will miss you like always, but you will always carry a place in my heart and not to mention it's about time!