The Silver Lining to Being Sick…If One Exists

If you aren’t a total jerk when you’re sick, people are really nice to you. I mean, go-out-of-their-way nice. I’ve experienced this before, so I shouldn’t really be surprised – I was pretty sick most of this past week (and still am, unfortunately), but I managed to stay fairly pleasant with people (or so I think). And as a result, everyone has been fantastically nice to me, including total strangers.

A few of the biggest highlights:

* I didn't have to pick up my own suitcase ONCE all day yesterday - normally I get people offering some of the time because I'm a small lady, but not every minute of a trip...but everyone heard me coughing (and probably took one look at me) and took care of it - the rental car guy, the hotel desk guy, the flight attendant, the approximately 70 year old man on the plane, and even one random dude in LAX who offered to roll it for me (um, no thanks weirdo...I can at least drag this thing by myself)
* A random man in the waiting room at Urgent Care brought an extra chair over to me and set it up so I could put my feet up on it - I think he was there for an appointment and not in need of urgent assistance, so I allowed it...and it felt nice
* Another random man in Urgent Care brought me cups of ice water, twice - I did not ask for these, but gratefully accepted, as my throat was pretty much raw
* The flight attendant on my 5+ hour flight checked in on me, no joke, twice as much as she did on everyone else...asking if I needed more pillows, more blankets, juice, wine, anything at all? (it probably didn't hurt that I was sitting in first class, but still)
* The guy at the sandwich place offered me free chips and a cookie because my voice sounded so "painful" - I turned them down, but thanked him profusely for the kind offer
* A girl at the grocery store offered to carry my bag to my car for me...it was only one bag, and not very full, so I said no...but again, a very nice offer
* And I think my favorite - everyone, guys and girls alike, calls me sweetie or honey or dear...and I kind of love it! I get that sometimes in normal life, but when I'm sick it's across the board - and it makes me smile!

So I guess the lesson is that when you're sick (and let's be honest...this should just apply to life ALL the time), even if you're feeling miserable, there's no need to take it out on the people around you, strangers or not. There's definitely no benefit to being a jerk...and very often, there IS benefit to being nice. I'll take those odds any day.