Snow day!

The snow day. Remember that feeling, from when you were still in school? I was reminded what that feels like today, when I received a text from work that I didn't need to come in. Snow day!!!

Funny work story. Last week a coworker named Poloma was frying up some bite sized somethings, and I asked what they were. Chicken something or other. "Want to try one?" Sure! I always jump at the chance to eat at work; kills time, soothes the belly, staves off the shakes (low blood sugar), kills time. She pointed me toward the pile of cooked chicken somethings. "Mmmm, chicken" Homer Simpson's voice said in my head. I popped one in my mouth and scurried back to my corner. Hmm. Cold? Weird- but oh well. Mushy. Mushy is odd. I froze. Are these even cooked? "Poloma, was it that pile you pointed to?" "No." Her eyes widen with disbelief. "OH CHRIS!!! You didn't! I was going to say, but I thought 'No, he knows'." I didn't know. I took the ball of breaded mush out of my mouth and spit into the trash can, as the buzz of hilarity and disbelief spread through the chicken. There were lots hands over mouths. The occasional "Chris! Oh my gosh!" And the expected trickle in of "What happened? ...Oh no!"

I, Chris Comiskey, who is so easily grossed out by so many things, chomped away on a piece of breaded RAW chicken. Gross.

I'm a worrier too...

Panic set in. I might get Salmonella poisoning. Somebody call 111! (New Zealand's 911). "Go wash out your mouth in the toilet!" Kat said. She wasn't referring to the toilet bowl; the bathroom/restroom is referred to as the toilet. Leo calmed the fears, "Dude, you'll seriously be fine. I used to work with this chick that ate raw chicken all the time. Her parents were, like, hippies or something." Phew. Thanks Leo. If that girl ate raw chicken, I'll be OK. Right? BETSY!!!!

"Betsy, I ate raw chicken and it was an accident and I'm stupid but I didn't mean to and I don't want to get Salmonella poisoning but I'm afraid I will am I going to die?!" Enter Betsy, the true voice of compassionate reason. "Oh sweetie, it'll be fine. Even if you do get salmonella poisoning, my mom got it and she was fine. It'll be OK." Phew. Now that helps. "...but, why did you eat raw chicken?" Um. I just. Well, I... Then Betsy got a good laugh out of the whole deal. A good laugh. A good, looong laugh.

I won't be eating any raw chicken today, because today is a snow day!