Down and out
...written on 10.30.02, @ 9:48 p.m.
Wed October 30, 2002
#1 of 2
Ten days later and I am still sick. Went back to the clinic this morning because last night my tongue felt like it was the size of my fist and it hurt to swallow. Dr said my tonsillitis was gone, but gave me some more placebos for all the good I think they've been doing. As a result of my turn for the worse, I had to call off my participation in the company trip. Dag nabbit!
So I imagine all of my 120 coworkers are probably five sheets to the wind by this time and ready to prance off to get naked and wet in the hotel public bathing pools. So sorry I am not there. . . Right.
Instead, I am sitting on the cluttered floor of my tatami room with a case of aggravating sniffles, muted hearing, and a full tunky of spaghetti and garlic toast (tunky: childhood word for stomach).
Sunday we had a Halloween Party for our students. I decided at the last minute that I couldn't tell stories because of my coughing fits, so Brad and I put together a Haunted house. I had made an md of scary music and sound effects the night before and disassembled what seemed to be my entire apartment and loaded up all the flashing lights, lamps, md players, sheets, extension cords, etc. that I could find and took them to the office to construct the scary concourse.
Brad took on the role of the main ghosty ghoul and flashed lights and threw spiders and screamed out "Buahahahahaha" when necessary. I had constructed what I called "the portal" which was my red and yellow curtain with a small lamp behind it that Brad would turn on and then appear to chop off his hand and throw it at the kids going by. We had one or two go through at a time. I stayed at the door trying to hold the anxious ones back as well as screaming and clawing at it when the time was right. My boss said later that the kids really liked the haunted room. John and Tomohiro played "bobbing for apples" in their room and Brian and Eiko were making costumes and playing other games. It was fun, but I think the exertions of working when I needed to rest on Saturday and Sunday put me back a little.
Friday is my birthday! Please leave some best wishes for me to help perk me up! My Dad gave me some early birthday presents as did my Japanese teacher. Both gave me clothes! Nice warm fuzzy things in all my favorite winter colors. If I feel well enough, I will go downstairs to the pub and have a beef tenderloin birthday dinner! I am anxious to get over this malaise. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.