Paranoia ......Cycle 2 , Day 15

The young man greeted us this afternoon with a smile and a firm handshake each as he invited us to sit down to discuss opening a new account. Seconds later, he cupped his hands over his mouth and gave a nasty, chesty cough, an action he repeated several times in the course of the next few minutes.

Steve and I swapped knowing glances, then Steve diplomatically withdrew to a safe distance whilst I explained that his immune system was compromised due to chemotherapy, and he needed to avoid infections. I felt like adding, why on earth don't you use tissue to catch your germs, not your hands? But ended up holding my tongue for fear of sounding like an old fuss-pot....

Nevertheless, rather than take the leaflet the advisor had been handling, I discretely pulled a fresh one from the rack when he left me alone to check something with a colleague. Sadly, efforts to avoid physical contact with this bug-carrier were to no avail; he shook hands enthusiastically with me when saying goodbye and only just stopped himself doing the same to Steve.

If we come down with a dose of the dreaded swine flu or some other nasty illness in the next few days I shall be very, very annoyed. Or have I just developed a severe case of paranoia? Now where did I put the antiseptic hand gel???

Paranoia strikes deep

Into your life it will creep

It starts when your always afraid

You step out of line, the man come and take you away...

Buffalo Springfield

For What Its Worth