A week ago, my husband and I decided to stop by a popular coffeehouse and order our favorite beverages. While placing our order, the barista began coughing into her bare hand. Repeatedly. Until then, I had made up my mind to order a mocha frappuccino. Was even eyeing some of the breakfast pastries.
"I apologize," she lamented as she stepped into another room for a moment. "I have bronchitis," she added upon returning to fill our order. Suddenly, I wanted to dart out of her presence, but I feared offending her. The coughing into her hand, combined with blowing her nose into a paper towel continued relentlessly.
"I'll just take a small coffee," I announced, changing my mind after my previous request for the frappuccino. I didn't want to spend a dime more than I had to at this point.
"O.k., well then let me make some fresh coffee," she replied as I watched, in horror, her replace the filter with the hand she had been coughing into.
My husband tried to ease my anxiety by whispering that perhaps the germs would die off with the heat.
My stomach churned as I then watched her pour the coffee into my cup and press the lid down tightly, again with the same hand.
Seconds later, I discreetly took a napkin and removed the lid, tossing it into the waste dispenser. Then, while drinking the coffee in hopes it wasn't contaminated, I wrote her a friendly note, offering some advice about personal hygiene in the workplace.
I handed it to her with a smile, as we exchanged friendly farewells.
What I have become recently aware of, is the human tendency to choose not to offend over to experience suffering. There was a quote along these lines in the hit movie, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."
And now, the question is, do I take my cold to work with me and risk passing it along to the long-term care residents I serve?
Some things are best kept to ourselves.
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Kareen King is a
Registered Drama Therapist and founder of The Golden Experience™, offering
keynotes, concerts, and workshops to enrich lives in long-term care. For booking
information, contact her at kking@thegoldenexperience.com or visit www.thegoldenexperience.com. Kareen's CD's
which feature original songs that give voice to individuals in long-term care
settings, have been used as caregiver training tools, gifts for long-term care
staff and volunteers, and for personal inspiration. To hear samples and to
purchase, click http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/KareenKing.



