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Monday, February 8, 2021

the unfeverish

As with most workplaces that are open and operating, ours has a check-in station just inside the front entrance.  Sign in, take your temperature, declare yourself hale and hearty, don the daily facemask, etc...

One day last week, I went through the usual morning screening.  The thermometer indicated my temperature at 94.6F, which has been pretty typical lately.  A nurse happened to be following me in, and he noticed my sign in.  

"You should get that up to at least 96.0. 94.6 seems inaccurate."

Oh, okay, I'll just turn my heat dial a little more to the right.  What did he mean, "get that up"??  Like I can just regulate my body temperature on demand?  And what about "seems inaccurate"?  The company-provided thermometers are inaccurate, and somehow that's my fault? Was he asking me to lie on the sign-in sheet?  

I explained that I'd just ridden my bicycle in, and outside temps were in the low 20s, end of story.  I continued on in to work.  What was he gonna do, tackle me because my temperature was too low?  I kinda wish I'd asked him if he'd like me to lie about my temperature.  Yeah, that's what I shoulda said.



I'm recalling that now as I'm currently waiting for the outside temperature to "get up".  


I have an errand that I intend to run on my bicycle, but it's still quite chilly out. 


Come on, Earth.  Can't you get your Northern Hemisphere temperature up higher and faster?




Wolfgang borrowed one of our cars yesterday to go skiing.  His Jeep was having some work done at the shop, hence the borrowing.  He'd ridden his bicycle here on Saturday and left it when he got the car.  When he returned, it was dark, blustery, and cold out, so we loaded his bicycle into the car, and I gave him a ride back to his place.

After I returned home, we had the following long-winded text exchange:


Yep, we'd loaded up the bicycle but forgot the helmet - the helmet he'd intended to wear on his ride into work this morning.  Luckily, he has a spare helmet, so I plan to just deliver the left-behind sometime today once it gets warmer.  

But that pic... does the helmet look rather tiny to you?  I've noticed that effect a few times before when I've taken photos at arm's length of something I'm holding.  The thing I'm holding looks tinier than in real life.  

To me, this maybe looks like a helmet for a baby.  Maybe I really am abnormally inaccurate, and that nurse has me pegged.

And yes, I realize the photo was not necessary to get my point across.  But I'm of the generation that doesn't text at lightning speed.  A pic and an "Oops" says it.  Use the technology, that's what it's for.

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Linking up (a little late) with Mama Kat for the prompt:
6. Pick up your phone, tell us about the last text exchange you had.



8 comments:

John Holton said...

Who knows? He might have said "Yes."

Abby said...

John, I am curious to know what his answer would've been.

Linda Sue said...

I do not understand riding a bike in deep freeze weather. GAHHH! AND what a dumb nurse!

Abby said...

Linda Sue, I draw the line at about 15 degrees F, and it's a relatively short commute when I want it to be!

Margaret (Peggy or Peg too) said...

Abby, my temp was never above 94 for the first 41 years of my life. Then I found my thyroid caused it. If my temp was 98 I had a fever. I'm sure you are fine like you said but what did that nurse think you were going to do as you said, turn the dial? If you figure it out let me know, there may be a hint to getting me taller. I just know this weight and six inches taller would really be perfect. 😁

Tee said...

I'd really love to know what that nurse thought you could do about your lower than average temperature. I would just file this one under "sometimes people are stupid."

Abby said...

Peggy, if we had these dials, think of the possibilities! 😉

Tee, yep, that's pretty much what I did. And just kept on walkin'

Larz said...

My temp is always lower than average as well. I figure if it reaches 98, I'll call it a fever.