It's Not Supposed to be Like This

Why?
Where do people get their irrational expectations?
Why do people believe what they have come to believe?
Why is it MY fault that what YOU believe is so damn wrong?

Why can I not go to the gas station and trade a live chicken and some eggs for a couple gallons of gas?
Why does a new Xbox 360 not cost $11.29?
Why is the Earth not flat? (Yes, some people still believe it is...)

One of my favourite words to use at work is "baffle", in its many forms.
People baffle me. I am baffled by their questions. Certain situations are baffling.
Yesterday presented another of these baffling conversations. In this case, it was with a pet owner.

(Side note: many many many medications are currently undergoing the whole go-on-backorder-for-a-month-then-return-with-a-six-hundred-percent-price-markup. Many of these used to be pretty cheap and are often prescribed by veterinarians. This is one of those cases.)

Lost Her "Marbles": Why does this cost so much?
CP: Because it's not cheap.
LHM: Last time I got this I paid like $10.00 or something.
CP: Very precise. Can you tell me when this was?
LHM: Last time. I know it was.
CP: Uh-huh. The last time we filled this, prior to today, was August, 2013. That's over one year ago. I know there was a huge spike in the cost of this over that time. Do you give this to Lady Marbles all the time.
LHM: Oh yes. Every single day. We never miss a dose. She has to have it.
CP: Ok. So where have you been filling this?
LHM: Here. Always here.
CP: And you made 90 tablets last 450 days?
LHM: She has to have it.
CP: Then today it will cost you $35.00
LHM: "It's not supposed to be this way. It's supposed to be cheap."
CP: According to whom? Who said it was cheap? Because it is for a cat? Because "that's what you've always paid"? Gas cost less than $1.00 per gallon when I was in high school. Does that mean I'm grandfathered in to that price for the rest of my life? I do not understand your complaint of "It's supposed to be cheap". Please explain.
LHM: She has to have it.
CP: Yes, Poor Pussy. You have yet to answer any of my questions so far. You dodge them as well as a seasoned politician running for reelection. Prices go up. Caring for pets is not cheap. Would it help if I explained this is a 180 day supply? It works out to less than $6.00 per month. I could charge you $10.00 if you'd like...but I will only be able to give you 6 weeks of medication.
LHM: No. I guess I'll get this. I just don't understand why it costs so much. This isn't how it's supposed to be.

(The whole time I kept picturing Switch's death in The Matrix: "Not like this. Not like this.")