Fact 1: I would rather get the flu, than get the flu shot.
Fact 2: I am an idiot.
In the late morning of Halloween, I’m starting to feel twingy. That continues through lunch, and by the time I’m back at my desk, uploading pictures and getting notes together for an article, I’m starting to feel worse and worse.
I am down and out Tuesday night. That’s a strange feeling because at other times in my career, Halloween night, I definitely would be out taking pictures - at trunk or treats, or at trick-or-treating in neighborhoods, Halloween is, as we say in the picture business, a photo-rich environment.
I’m out of work Wednesday trying to fight off feeling terrible with Theraflu and Tylenol. By the time Thursday morning rolls around, I know I have to go to the doctor. Medicine helps me turn the corner Thursday afternoon, but I’m still not fever-free by Friday.
So I’m feeling better -- better than death, that is -- Friday night while hanging in our home office listening to Clinton High Football on the computer. I can get my notes and write my website article from listening and combine that with a picture from the previous week’s game, and I have completed my football assignment for the week. If you’ve ever heard our Red Devil broadcast ad you will know it makes this promise, “Every game, home and away, is highlighted on The Chronicle website.” That is my promise to fulfill, every Friday night.
This is a little aside but I, as a journalist, and we, as a community, are SO LUCKY to have the Large Time Network as a whole and the Wolfpack broadcast crew in particular to bring us football every Friday, home and away. Many other radio stations do this - none as professionally and especially none with the worldwide reach as WPCC has.
Anyway, back to the show. I wrap up football at a decent hour, get a little sleep, then spent Saturday morning stretched out listening to Saturday Morning Rewind. Saturday and Sunday, college and pro football are on the tube, but I’m fading in and out.
Mostly, I’m worrying about, “What am I going to do Monday morning?” I’m feeling just better enough to wonder, “What if I go to the office for just three hours, get caught up on e-mail and that’s it.” Then the idea floats away.
I’m up at 6 a.m. feeling a whole much better than I did on Wednesday, and I head to the office.
I unbury from undone work, get the paper where it’s manageable by noon, and send it down the home stretch and off to the printer by our 4 p.m. deadline.
Then, I can take a breath. Kind of - my breathing’s still just not quite right from the Class A Flu I got the week before. And, by Tuesday, I’m back at the doctor with suspected strep throat. And - this is known as Irony for you language buffs out there - my treatment is, wait for it, A Steroids Shot.
All this because, with my paranoia about needles, I didn’t get a flu shot.
Vic MacDonald is Editor of The Clinton Chronicle. In June, 2025, he will observe his 50th year in community journalism. Reach him at 864-833-1900.
