A barrel of sour air escapes from my neighbor who regularly coughs while playing a game of majiang on his phone, with the sound on. Under his legs stands a colorful collection of boxes and bags. With fruits? Booze? Documents? Cigarettes? For family or business partners? Before he took his seat, he kindly asked if the chair next to me was free. Of course!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When someone else sneezes, or coughs, I always -always!- hold my breath and count to 6. I imagine that in that short span of time, the minuscule pathogens, whether or not shrouded in a haze of saliva, snot and\/or scrapings, lose their strength through dehydration, oxygen radicals, or simply lose their impact through homeopathic dilution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The idea that lifeless bacteria may sink into my mucous glands, Adam’s apple or nasal membranes, and become part of my internal flora through an unconscious swallowing movement – without a coffin for the dead creature – is not comforting at all. Although self-invented, or chewed-up, the certainty of the antibiotic effect of time gives some reassurance. In case I do get a cold or a fever: I have no idea why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most likely I’m overreacting. If I could really see what I’m ingesting, choose what to let through and what to block, then the sight of so many creeps would paralyze my willingness to select. Either I wouldn’t breathe in anything, or simply everything. I would prefer the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Written on May 28, 2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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