The Necklace

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  “SHE WAS one of those pretty, charming young ladies, born, as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, appreciated, loved, and married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. . . .  She had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things. She felt that she was made for them. She had such a desire to please, to be sought after, to be clever, and courted.” —THE NECKLACE Guy de Maupassant    France, 1884 (pic by Grok) Read this short story here:  https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/the-necklace

Oops!

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 I had an accident last week. Actually I had three. I’ve been dealing with a persistent cough since September. The other night I came home and before I could get to the front door, started coughing and could not stop. Next thing I know, I’m on my back, watching the front porch light come into view. How did I get here, flat on the ground? Am I bleeding? Did I hit my head?


Turns out I started a spasmodic cough that exhausted my oxygen (I already battle asthma) and I passed out, scraping my arm on the brick wall as I went down. No, I didn’t hit my head as I collapsed down onto my knees then drifted over backwards, my legs folded underneath me. I was unconscious about 30 seconds. I recovered but was not feeling well for a while. 


The next night it happened again. I got out of the car, approached the door and started coughing and blacked out, but only for a few seconds. I did not collapse but was unconscious for a few seconds. 


The next day, it happened again, on my day off. I woke from a nap, and started coughing. This time I grabbed the back of the couch and lowered myself to the ground as the lights turned out. I went to the doctor the very next day. 


Apparently I may have had RSV a couple of months ago, as the cough indicated. So after an intense round of steroids and an albuterol nebulizer, am breathing much better now. No more passing out. My elbow just hurts, that’s all.