Sitting in my son’s therapist’s office, I was ready to settle into reading Vonnegut’s short story collection “Look at the Birdie.”
“Cough!”
“Sniffle…”
“Cough. Cough. Cough.”
I put the book down. No chance of concentrating with that noise. Regular noise too.
One cough. Sure. A sniffle or two. Okay.
But this is full on sickness. And I’m sure I now am infected.
COVID-19 should’ve taught us all that we need to watch out for each other. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Stay away from others when sick.
“Cough. Cough. Sniffle.”
It didn’t.
In fact, it did the opposite in many ways.
Polio is back. Mumps, too!
I just wanted to read an author I’ll never be. But, damn it, I’ll try to be.
I also try not to spread my diseases.
Pre-COVID, I was just like this middle-aged mother, pulled back hair with too tight on the thigh black leggings.
I remember being deathly ill in January 2020. Doctors could not figure it out (I know now my ex-boss caught COVID-19 on a cruise from a guy from China and brought it to our office). It was COVID-19.
But it want big news for another 4-6 weeks. Even though I (foolishly) asked in early January if we should highlight this new “flu” in our weekly newsletter… “No need to raise alarms before we have too,” I was admonished… Silly former journalist in Government Comms now guy.
Anyway. I was sick. Very sick. Ended up staying sick until early March. Ironic, really.
And I kept going to work. Coughing. Wheezing. Barely able to breathe.
What a fun world (for employers) it was then.
Now?
I get sniffles, I stay home. I mask. I avoid others.
Why?
Courtesy. Common courtesy.
Ha! What a concept.
So, now I’m typing this dreck on my phone. Some will say “you think you’re better than her.”
I’ll agree.
But, she probably makes better money than me. And couldn’t care less what my broken and yellow-toothed face is thinking.
Which, is good.