Coughers and fakers

This change of weather has aggravated some coughing reflex in the lungs of some of my students. The other ones are just faking. Sincere coughers (SC) turn red in the face and gasp for a breath. They try hard to speak, only to be overtaken by the sheer force of their expelled air. I become very concerned about my SCs, offering them drinks of water from the water fountain and letting them sit up for a minute during naptime, because laying down also aggravates the cough.

It never fails that, once an SC has been identified and sympathized with, a chorus of fakers begins their act. Fakers take a huge breath (try this so you will understand what I am describing) then they release the air with one loud force from their throat that is about 50% vocal component. These are the children that stare holes in you while they torture their throats with this parody. They usually perform this act in unison right after a SC has been offered a drink.

Sometimes I think about what my students will be like as adults. Their tiny personalities will change so much, and they will become independent and responsible (hopefully). However, after a day like today, during which I listened to fakers for eight hours, I can't help but envision a crew of sickly twenty-somethings. They will have a hardback copy of Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment tucked under their arm and they will be the ones who still hold their thermometer up to a lightbulb when their mom isn't looking.