Sick in the City

I’ve made an observation. When you’re sick, you’re so involved in how shitty you feel that you don’t give much thought to all the germs you’re spreading around. This happened to me last year – I had killer virus after killer virus, and many of them turned into bacterial infections that hunkered down into my throat and lungs. And every morning I’d pack myself up and go to work. I’d sit at my desk, not 5 feet from the woman at the next desk, and cough and blow my nose all day. I was oblivious to my highly contagious state.

And, of course, when people would say, “Trillian! Get yourself home, Girl!” I’d act like a martyr and decline the offer. I thought they were really concerned for my health. Now, I realize as one of my officemates hacks and honks her way through the day, that while they may have been worried about me, they were mostly wanting to not get infected with whatever I had.

So, I’ve learned my lesson the hard way. A woman at work (who is now at home with pneumonia) came in all last week though she quite obviously should have been in bed. Now most of us in the office are coughing and sneezing. If you’re contagious, and can work from home, then work from home. If your kids won’t go hungry or you won’t default on your mortgage if you call in sick when you’re under the weather, then call in sick.