Article: Shhh! Keep your cold to yourself

The best thing to do when you have a cold is keep your mouth shut and don't tell a soul.

I was reminded of this when I awoke with a sore throat, stuffy nose and the achy feeling normally associated with being trampled by a cattle stampede.

Somehow I staggered into work through a haze of antihistamine and aspirin, the pain so intense I clenched a stick in my mouth to keep from crying out.

It was at work, with my brain weakened by a hacking cough and persistent sniffling, that I made the classic mistake.

I mentioned I had a cold.

You should never mention you have a cold, as this leaves you open to commentary and advice from every kook, crank, whacked-out herbalist, screwball ...

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