Walter Matthau: Pharmacist Buy
on Tuesday, January 11, 2022Walter Matthau Money Quote saying the pharmacist in a clean white coat would sell you things you wanted. Walter Matthau said:
“I wanted to be a pharmacist. I liked the way our local pharmacist was always dressed in a nice white coat; he looked very calm, you’d give him money, and he’d give you something that you wanted to buy” — Walter Matthau
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In this humorous quote, Walter Matthau seems to be reflecting on what initially drew him to consider becoming a pharmacist as a young person. Specifically, he remarks that:
- He found the clean and pristine white lab coat worn by the local pharmacist to be quite appealing in how official and professional it looked.
- The pharmacist also appeared very composed and relaxed in his work environment compared to other jobs Matthau observed.
- Matthau notes the simplicity of the transactional aspect – customers would provide money and in return the pharmacist would dispense the requested product.
The best interpretation is that Matthau is jokingly suggesting he was attracted to pharmacy less for interest in science or medicine, but superficially due to the flattering uniform, unruffled demeanor, and straightforward customer service model involving exchanging cash for goods. Matthau portrays his younger self as prioritizing surface aesthetics and an easy work flow over career substance in this humorous reflection on his initial career considerations.
Birthday: October 1, 1920 – Death: July 1, 2000