Karen Dillon

Karen writes about the people and places of Smith Mountain Lake in "Shorelines," published bi-weekly.

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To the casual observer, a pharmaceutical ballet is taking place in the pharmacy as employees maneuver around each other to answer the phone and deliver prescriptions to customers waiting at the counter and at the drive-through window. At the center of this activity is the star of the show: Stephen Titus, CVS's registered pharmacist-in-charge.

"He has the most patience of anybody I've ever seen," said pharmacy technician Regina Scott, who's worked with Titus for about 10 years. "He's very easygoing."

Titus has been a fixture at the Westlake store since 1995. During his tenure, CVS moved from its former location beside Food Lion to its own free-standing building located on the corner of Virginias 122 and 616 (Morewood Road).

"That's been a big jump," said Titus of the move. "We've gotten probably five or six new doctors in since then, and the [Carilion] Urgent Care [at Westlake Corner] has really built the business."

What's also developed and grown is the rapport between Titus and his customers.

"I am a very people-oriented person and people are the reason I'm here," he said.

Perhaps it's his easygoing nature that customers appreciate most. Moneta resident and long-time CVS customer Bart Prater has observed Titus' interaction with others.

"He always says hello to me, and he seems to know all of his customers by name," said Prater, who once wrote a letter to the editor of an area newspaper praising Titus and his work.

Joe Sirera, another regular customer, heaped praise on Titus as well.

"He really knows his business and takes time to come from behind the counter to talk to you," he said. "He's the right kind of person to have for a pharmacist, and his staff loves him."

Although patience can sometimes be in short supply, especially during the first of the month or on Mondays, the pharmacy's busiest times, Titus maintains a steady rhythm of filling one prescription after another.

"Sometimes he gets so busy his lunch gets cold," said Scott.

Working as a registered pharmacist is Titus' second career. A former businessman, Titus decided to go back to school and after graduating from Ohio Northern University's College of Pharmacy, he moved to Virginia.

"I knew I wanted to move to a place with mountains that I could hike and water where I could sail," he said.

In 1993, Titus began working for SuperX in Roanoke. The chain, which was purchased by Revco, later became CVS. Two years later, he moved to the Westlake store and has been there since.

When he's not working, Titus and his wife, Cherry, who live in The Boardwalk, enjoy outdoor activities including gardening (Cherry is a Master Gardener), hiking and sailing on the lake.

While his work days are long (he routinely works 13-hour days and shares duties with two other CVS pharmacists), Titus finds being a pharmacist rewarding. He also takes a simple approach to his job.

"I try to treat them (his customers) the way I would want to be treated," he said. "I try to talk to them and do a good job. I know my constituency and I try to greet people by name."

As customers continued lining up at the pharmacy counter and the drive-through window, Titus and the other pharmacy employees kept performing their well-orchestrated dance. Even during the hectic time, the pharmacy crew still managed to keep the mood light.

"I told him [Titus] today was April Fool's Day, but the joke is really on us," said Scott.