I Put On My Big Coat

It's a cool, quiet morning. Still.

I was awake at 7.30 and couldn’t go back to sleep. I lay there, turned this way and that, but couldn’t find my snooze again. My nose was still blocked, breathing was hard.

I thought I might as well finish off the financial work that I started yesterday, as exciting as that sounds, as I threw the doona back, reluctantly.

So, at 8am I got up.

I ground coffee beans and brewed coffee. The milk just dribbled and stopped after it covered a quarter of my cereal, damn!

Off to the supermarket at 8am. I put on my big coat... and put undies on under my tracksuit pants. (I didn't once and got all sorts of looks. I didn't think anyone would take any notice of me, undies or no undies, but they did. I learned not to do that again)

I hosed the vomit from out the front first thing, remnants of the night’s revelry. Lovely. In my state? I hoped secretly that whoever it was was suffering today. Actually, I didn’t, I just watched the chunks float away, wondering if hosing was allowed with whatever the water restrictions are now.

The street was still and serene as I walked to Woolworth's. There were car parks to spare for all those people who complain, I can never find a fucking park around here!

I’d decided what to buy before I, actually, got inside the shop, because I was thinking fat, comfort food let me tell you. I was thinking pastries, or danishes, or slices, or cakes. I could easily have had my snout in the trough, absolutely. It was a good thing, as the smell of freshly cooked donuts was pungent in the air, as soon as I walked into the place. I'm surprise, as normally when I'm sick I allow myself the freedom of whatever I want. I’m never normally sensible when I can’t breathe except after sneezing.

I was so going to go bike riding this weekend, start my summer’s exercise in anticipation of daylight savings starting next month, but because I’ve been fighting off the flu for the last few days, I feel weak and captive in the hum of my sickly body. I was even considering buying a new bike, yesterday morning, to really get into the swing of fitness.

I bought mandarins and bananas and kiwi fruit and milk. Vitamin C and potassium, good for a cold. I purved on cute Frank’s arse as I waited as he rearranged the mandarins – a nice wog boy with a goatee and a fetching smile. I was picturing him in his underpants, as he noticed me and said he was sorry and moved out of the way with a sweet smile. You don't ever have to be sorry with that tookus, I thought.

I ate the kiwi fruit walking home.

I spent the rest of the day in bed watching terrible movies. I didn't care, though, as I wanted to drift off to sleep, as I pulled the doona up to my neck and fluffed the pillow, but I didn't.

My nose dripped and my body hummed and the used tissues piled up on the floor boards next to the bed. I sipped olive leaf every three hours and drank apple cider vinegar morning and afternoon.