Puros Enfermos

I drove Melba to the base hospital to see what the doctors could do about her incessant nasal drip and cough. I waited for her in one of the lobbies populated by sick kids and equally sick grownups. It was probably the most dangerous thing I did today. After about a half hour of trying to take only shallow breaths in the midst of all that coughing, sneezing, and nose blowing I got up and left. There were cold metal benches outside and I sat myself down on one and continued to wait patiently. I know it's only fifty degrees outside, but that's plenty cold for me. I thought it better to sit outside and take in cold gulps of air than to draw in the germ-laden air in the lobby. Later, Melba was told that the 'epidemic' of respiratory problems on base was somehow connected to the falling leaves. Huh?