Cough Attack

It was a simple phone call.
A customer wanted to know what cats we had in the store and their ages.
So I walked over to them to tell him.
Easy peasy really.
But then, disaster struck.

As I was doing the polite goodbyes, something caught in my throat.
I have no idea what it was.
But basically I must have choked on air.

Because all of a sudden I was coughing like there was no tomorrow.
Hard enough that I was doubling over.

It wasn't a pretty sight.
And there was the customer....still on the other line...
maybe.
I couldn't get breath long enough to tell him goodbye,
so I did the only thing I could.
I hung up the phone.
We were hanging up anyway.
I can only hope that he didn't think I was suddenly being murdered.
Since he didn't call back, I suppose he figured the truth, that I was sick.

This though, was intense coughing.
I feared other customers would think I was dying.
Or else, super sick and should be gotten as far away from as possible.
I only needed water, I was sure of it.
And thankfully, the cats were near the drinking fountain we have in the store.
But upon reaching it,
I couldn't drink.
I couldn't get my breath long enough to get any liquid into my mouth, let alone down my throat.
So I retreated a few yards further into our break room.
Seeking refuge as I fought to get control again of my breathing.

I probably terrified my coworkers who happened to be there.
I probably looked like I had rabies. (not really but still)
With my eyes streaming tears, my nose running, and saliva coming off my lips as I tried desperately to get a full breath, to swallow, to find some relief to the coughing.
That stupid tickle in my throat, if anything it felt like one of those scratchy balls of wire (not literally, but it was tiny, that area was irritated, and it wasn't going to be soothed and so felt more irritating)

I tried again to get water.
But lowering my head to try and get a drink from the drinking fountain only made it worse.
I sought refuge again,
Managed to find a cup and use it to get some water and finally.
There was some relief.
As I was able to tilt my head backwards to get the liquid down my throat.

Still, I ended up spending like 15 minutes in the break room, I guess, on an unofficial break as I hadn't told anyone where I was going.
That was how long it took me to recover,
Enough that I wasn't coughing the whole time, or even every thirty seconds.

Enough that I decided to brave the floor again, and hope to the best that I wouldn't have another crazy coughing attack like that again while on duty.

Somehow I managed.
Though I fully expected to half to retreat to the back again soon.
Mostly because I have to talk to a lot of people, which means that air goes up and down my throat constantly.

Yet somehow, I managed it.
Not without coughing,
but it was just a short cough cough sort of thing from then on out.
Much to my relief.
As I didn't want to have to make the long trek to my refuge where I could muffle my coughs from most of the store. :)

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

Was a rather disturbing one where my brother had been killed -but it was alright as he'd been married to another couple in heaven and was quite happy there doing the Lord's work- but we were intent on finding the one who had killed him. Only, we had to be careful, because if anyone touched my brother's beheaded head....his head would automatically be switched with theirs. Placed on their body, and at one point....that happened to me. (though I went into an 3rd person pov there so no first person experience for me.) It was disturbing to see a rotting head on a healthy body, disturbing enough that it woke me from my sleep.

-S.N.D