my first sick day in years

I've had a slight cold for a few days. It's nothing severe, mostly just a sore throat and a few other minor symptoms. Since I wasn't feeling that bad, I went out and had a little too much fun this past weekend. On Friday, I went to a Mets game with some people from work and one of our vendors. We had field box seats behind the visitors' dugout, and I got some close-up photos of batters in mid-swing when I wasn't enjoying free food and beer courtesy of our vendor friend. I also got a high-five from Mr. Met, and a photo of myself next to the Mets' 1986 World Series trophy. I feel like a traitor to my hometown Pirates, though. On Saturday night, I went to an all-you-can-drink birthday party at a bar in my neighborhood. I woke up on Sunday morning with my throat feeling worse, but that didn't stop me from taking care of the errands I had to run that day. That evening, when my friends came over to watch TV, I ended up hoarse from talking and coughing. And my eyes were red from me over-wearing my contacts. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac, so I thought for a few minutes that I might have pink eye. I collapsed into bed right after they left.

So on Monday morning I sounded and looked terrible. I didn't actually feel that bad, but I had a feeling I should stay home from work. I'd already taken the morning off to get my cable TV fixed, so I called work and took the rest of the day off. I haven't called in sick in over two years. There goes my streak. Since I wasn't that sick, it was even more miserable than usual to be at home. There's nothing on TV. I watched part of "The Towering Inferno" and went for a walk later in the afternoon. I'm back at work today. My eyes look and feel much better, my voice is coming back, and the cold is nearly gone. But mostly I'm just glad to be back in the office. I'm a social person, and I can't stand being home alone for that long. Having broken my no-sick-day streak, I think I'll be a little quicker to call in sick the next time I have a bad cold. I've come to work on days when I really should have stayed home. No one wants to hear or see me when I'm that sick.