September 15th, 2004
Sir Cough-a-lot
I can't believe I survived the ride home
from work. Basically I was riding home when I notice something odd.
There was this old looking guy (maybe later 40s or early 50s) who was drinking
a Jamba Juice. He was riding next to an Asian woman. She was
fairly young. What caught my attention was the fact he gave her the
rest of his Jamba Juice. Evidently he had his fill. I thought
it was strange at first, but though again maybe he knows her. I
started to think more and that is was really strange for a complete strange
to give his drink after he licked the straw (and maybe gave the drink some
backwash); so they have to know each other.
Then it happen!!! He started to cough. It was a small succession
of three coughs. He did not even cover his month at first. Then
30 seconds later he cough again. The woman next to him never reacted
to it. She was still sipping on the Jamba Juice which he previously
was drinking. Again he coughs but the last one was one of those coughs
you do to clear your throat. It sort sounded like he was hacking
up something. I started to feel icky.
It was hot that day and I was wearing a long sleve Oxford style shirt.
Naturally one will sweat a little with this type of shirt on.
With this guy coughed I started to think if I continue to sit here I am
going to catch his whatever. I looked around to see if I could move,
but I could not find an empty seat. Now he is coughing again. But
this time he formed a fist with his right hand and put up near his mouth
to be polite. How polite it is really? Because it is just causing
whatever he has to bounce off his right hand (in a sort of fist shape)
to go to his left and right. So now I am envisioning small droplets
of germs bouncing away from him. And he was still coughing.
I'd try to ignore it, but how can you ignore a guy coughing in front of
you for a 40 minute ride. I thought nothing worse can happen. Can
it? Of course because I thought of it, something is happening now.
The guy I was sitting next too start to blow his nose. Now
granted he was using a Kleenex and it never slopped out of the Kleenex,
but because of the coughing guy, I was feeling grossed. So after
the first stop, I decided to stop up and wait for my stop (8 minutes later)
near the front of the vehicle.
Of course as soon as I got home, I had to take all my clothes and wash
them immediately. Then take a long hot shower. Sure
I am wanting to disinfect myself, but with the ride I had home this night,
I need to have that "feel good clean" feeling.
Therefore, I dubbed this guy Sir Cough-a-lot.
