At my very fine event the other night there was much greeting in the form of hugging and kissing. Usually I’m all for a good hug and hey, I rarely pass up a kiss but what I found perplexing was the comment that came almost immediately as the kisser/hugger withdrew: “Oh I’m so happy to be here, I’ve been so sick all week!”

Needless to say, I now have a cold.

Since I do not socialize a great deal and small children are rarely in my zone, I never get sick. When I am around children I figure some evil germ will make its way into my blood stream and I just give into it. One can’t blame a kid. But what about adults?

Is it some kind of pride thing? Or is it a test of strength? Blind ignorance? For goodness sake why do people exit their homes if they are sick? If you don’t have to leave the house, why do you? Is it the ego? Somebody please tell me because I just don’t get it.

If I am sick, I close the shutters, climb into bed and sleep. Thats it. I don’t want to be around people because I don’t feel well and I don’t want to get anybody sick. Many years ago I had laryngitis but felt perfectly well. I just couldn’t speak. I had no idea how contagious it was until I saw the host of a party I had gone to. While at the party he made me a cup of tea. A week later I saw him and he had no voice. And no, we didn’t make-out at the party, our lips never touched. Germs are funny things.

People are funny too…but not that funny.