5 August, 1998

Fever

The shivers have slowly been building since I woke up this morning. Thuogh I felt uncharacteristically awake for 5:45 on a Wednesday, my nose was slightly stuffed and it hurt to swallow. After my morning ablutions, I padded out into the hall to check on the kittens. All was well with the fuzzies and their mama, though last night the dreams about harm befalling them returned after a close to week-long hiatus.

In the kitchen, the half-dark yielded up the 2.5 gallon container of water. I reached for the glass beside it and filled it. The tinkling sound of the liquid hitting the side of the glass caught my attention until it deepened into a throatier gurgle. Shara watches me avidly from the floor, wondering if what I'm preparing is food for her. I drink in long slow gulps, feel the water slide down my throat and feel better.

Out the door into the cool morning air. It feels like it will be a nice day, free of choking humidity and heat. The bus pulls up in roar of exhaust and flying dust. The driver greets me with a drawled "Goo' Mornin'" and I respond in kind, but with my usual clear enunciation. It's on the bus that I realize that I'm not feeling 100%. Minutes later on the train I bury my nose in the pages of the Virginia Driver's Manual. Reading about DUIs, blind spots and various traffic signs slowly starts to blur in my head with my dreams from the night before and various thoughts for the coming day.

I barely notice when the young girl sits next to me. I nearly forget to get off at my stop. Wandering through the business morning I feel a sort of floating calm. Work unfolds in a dream-like state, punctuated only by an e-mail or two on which I bring to bear the full weight of my consciousness.

Now I shiver in earnest. I pull on the jacket I abandoned earlier when I bore a slight sheen of sweat from the 5 block walk up from the Metro. I huddle into my chair, blowing my nose, coughing dryly and ponder going home sooner rather than later. The shivers crawl up my spine again and I rest my head on the desk, suddenly tired beyond belief. Too tired to write more and lacking the desire to upload this, though I do it anyway.