Aaaaacchhooooo!!!!!!!!

I know I am a loud sneezer but I didn’t think I was so loud! At work, as soon as I sneeze I am inundated with emails from my colleagues from all across the office, ‘blessing me’. It’s not that we have a very big office but lets just say, the ‘walls are thin’. At least that is what I liked to believe....until yesterday.

I was at Staples picking up some stuff for an upcoming training. I was at the far right section of the store when, lo and behold, I had to sneeze. And sneeze I did! I doubted if it was a loud, ear-shattering one (I am quite conscious nowadays) but all my doubts were taken care of when I heard someone yell out, bless you!

From the other end of the store!

I felt very awkward. And the situation became utterly embarrassing for me when I turned and saw this elderly lady (quite elderly and who, unbeknown st to me was right behind me) looking at me and shaking her head with utmost disbelief. I apologetically met her gaze and said,

“That was a loud one ha?” Expecting her to say something in reply.

But all she did was stand there and shake her head. Totally amused!

I don’t think I need any more affirmations to make me realize that I am indeed a loud sneezer. There are two people in my family who are loud. Let’s just say we enjoy sneezing, my father and I. We keep arguing over who is louder but we both are, in our own special way!

Although yesterday’s incident was embarrassing and has made me quite conscious of my sneeze ‘decibel’, I would simply hate to suppress my sneeze, make it sound more like a whimper. After all, very few things (I mean bodily reflex actions) are as satisfying as an out-of-control sneeze!