Thursday, June 26, 2008

“Bless me”

I was in the ladies’ room at work the other day, washing my hands, when the woman in the second stall sneezed.

I didn’t say anything. Usually, when someone sneezes, I say “Gesundheit” which I prefer to “Bless you” because A) Four years of high school German and B) It wishes the sneezer good health which makes more sense to me than issuing God’s indulgence and C) I’m agnostic.

But I didn’t say anything. I really don’t like talking through stall doors. I make an exception when the Director and I are both in there at the same time, but as a rule, I don’t like to chat in the bathroom.

A moment later, the sneezer said, “Bless me.”

Huh.

Now, this could be a habit of hers. I don’t really know the woman. I’ve seen her around the office but we’ve never talked. But somehow, I doubt it. To me it seemed like a passive-aggressive little dig at me for not acknowledging her nasal excretions.

Whatever.

When I sneeze, I say, “Excuse me.” Even when I’m alone. Habit.

But “Bless me” ???

That’s fud up.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi EEE. How are you doing sweetie? You seem kind of in the dumps?

Anonymous said...

maybe the woman in the toilet was REALLY religious??
;-)

Anonymous said...

This is one of my serious pet peeves. When I have been monitoring standarized tests ((SAT, IOWA (ITBS), etc)) or just regular tests where silence is required, I have had a person sneeze and the "Bless you's" start. Then the person sneezes 7 more times and the chorus starts. Now before I start the "quoted" directions, I will tell them no "Bless you's".

FTH