Harold Sneezed

Harold Sneezed

Harold sighed, sitting on the end of his bed. Normally a morning person, last night he hadn’t slept well at all. He hadn’t slept well because of Christine. He could not seem to stop thinking about Christine. Christine was new at his office, having taken over for Brenda.

Harold and Brenda had been like a well-oiled machine; they could read each other’s mind. If he had a thought, Brenda spoke it, and vice versa. But Brenda wanted to move to Florida, next to her son and daughter-in law, she retired. Christine was hired.

Yesterday was Christine’s first day and there was a huge problem. Christine not only couldn’t read Harold’s mind; Harold’s mind didn’t seem to work when he was near her. He would start to say something and Christine would look up, then suddenly he couldn’t remember what he was going to say!

Taking a deep breath, he shook himself. Standing at the sink to brush his teeth, his hands were shaking to the point where he actually dropped the toothpaste cap. He looked in the mirror and tried smiling. He wiggled his shoulders and arms around to animate himself a bit then smiled again. He actually felt ill.

At work, just as he was about to step into the elevator, something tickled his nose and he sneezed. Maybe he was ill! The thought excited him. Maybe all this was just him coming down with something. Of course! He was just off because he was sick! Almost laughing at his own stupidity, he entered the elevator.

Christine was there, right there in the elevator. She held out a tissue, “Are you alright?” she said smiling at him, “I heard you sneeze.

It was going to be a long week, Harold thought, desperately trying to remember how to speak.