September 10, 2011

• I’m not feeling well today.

  This began on Thursday evening, when I went to the rehearsal of the choirlet. The rehearsal that evening was in the home of a smoker. I assume that there must have been times in the past when I have been in the homes of smokers, but I can’t remember them, and I live in a town that doesn’t allow smoking in public buildings, so I was startled to walk into a room and find it filled with smoke.

  I don’t know how smokers can stand this. My eyes hurt. My throat hurt. My nose hurt. I was riding with someone else, so I couldn’t leave. We sang, so I was taking in great lungfuls of the noxious stuff. At one point, I looked around the group gathered about the piano and thought wildly, “We’re all dressed in stuff from Coldwater Creek; this just isn’t the kind of occasion where I can be rude and walk out.”

  The nonsmokers were coughing, and I suppose I wasn’t the only one who was counting the minutes till I could get out of that place, but it was a rehearsal so we were there for a couple of hours. When I got home, I stank, my clothes stank, my hair stank.

  I showered, but I couldn’t figure out any way to clean my bronchial system, and I still have a sore throat.

  That was two nights ago, and both those nights have featured dogs barking to be let out in the wee hours of the morning, so I am also severely sleep deprived. And I have to grade papers.

  • 6:53 am
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