Passing the Bug

I was a little off my game this past week. I finally caught the “bug” people have been passing around town. I didn’t spend much time in the store, but I did go every day to my construction job. I didn’t want any store customers to get sick because of me. I wasn’t as caring about the guys and one woman that I work with. I have reasons for being like this. Let’s talk about them. I’ll start with the woman I work with. Last week she announced at work that her granddaughter (Who she helps raise and lives with her part time.) was sick the previous night. Maybe I picked up some germ that was on this woman’s coat sleeve that her granddaughter strategically placed there. It’s possible.

It’s possible when my employer sprayed disinfectant on his paperwork and clothing that maybe a germ jumped from his pants onto my computer keyboard before the disinfectant could kill it. Again. Highly possible.

I was told that germs from a cough can travel up to twelve feet. My desk is about six feet from the woman’s deck. As you can see, that’s well within the limits of a cough. However, I don’t think that’s what happened. My bug did not come from her.

My employer’s desk is at least twenty feet from mine. At first glance I can assume that the germ did not come from him. But what if a germ from his desk caught a “ride” on a droplet of disinfectant and made it all the way to my desk. Imagine a germ surfing his way onto my desk. That’s what I think happened and because this is my story you should think that’s what happened, also.

I went to work to give the “bug” back to my employer. I read somewhere you will recover sooner, if you can pass the “bug” to someone else. OK, I didn’t read that; I just made it up. I might still be a little sick. I seem delirious.

Passing the “bug” wasn’t the only reason I had to work. I have a deadline. We are going to have an insurance audit this coming week. Preparing for the audit, we discovered we could not find our MSDS manual. (Material Safety and Data Sheets). For those of you that aren’t familiar with MSDS sheets; our/your/the government requires businesses to keep safety and data sheets relating to the materials used by the business.

Simply put, these sheets are to provide first aid information in the event of an emergency with the products used by the business. If someone decided to drink paint, the sheets will provide information; (call 911) like have the victim drink milk or vomit or don't vomit, (call 911). Of course, this 2018, having paper MSDS sheets are totally obsolete, as all of this information (call 911) is on the internet.

However, the government and insurance regulations dictate we have quick access to this information. (It's accessible on your smart phone, even mine.) I spent three days building the manual. One good thing, I learned, if someone has a splinter in his or her eye; seek medical attention or call 911.