A while back, someone, and for the life of me I can’t remember where I read this, posted a writing prompt that went something like this:
“Write about something that unreasonably annoys you.”
I’ve had this writing prompt in the back of my head for several days now and finally, I have my answer (Hey, I never claimed to be a fast thinker. Oh wait, yes I have. Okay fine, I’m a fast thinker on Tuesdays and Thursdays.)
Coughing.
I don’t know what it is about coughing, but it drives me insane.
Whenever Jazz starts coughing because of his spring allergies, my whole body tenses.
Some of that is because I’m afraid his cough will turn into asthma and I’m worried about keeping that from happening. But it’s not just him. I get annoyed with Dude’s soft, puny coughs. I get annoyed with Kevin’s loud, let’s-get-it-out-of-my-throat-at-all-costs cough. I even get annoyed whenever I cough. There is just something so irritating about coughs.
Baby coughs? Cute, to a point. But if it’s persistent, it gets annoying.
I get annoyed with people when they cough during a concert, play, or a movie. I get annoyed when I’m trying to concentrate and someone next to me is hacking away.
Which brings up the whole germs issue. People who don’t cover their mouths REALLY annoy me. HELLO! I’m not interested in breathing in your lung mucus, thank you very much. People who cover their mouths with their hands annoy me. Because then I watch where they place their hands and know that the next unsuspecting person who lays their hands on that very item will likely contract the cougher’s germs.
I know this is an unreasonable irritation. I mean, people HAVE to cough, right? But it’s like sandpaper on my nerves. I can feel myself gritting my teeth, my hands ball into fists and my anger levels rise about six degrees. It. Just. Drives. Me. Nuts.
And though I’m okay with sneezes in general? Kevin’s sneezes grate on my nerves. I think it’s because he’s so LOUD with his sneezes. He’s the kind of sneezer who has to build up to it. You know the whole HUUUUUUUUUUUUH ACHOOOOOOOOO kind of person. He sounds like a quarter back right before he calls for the snap. That “hut-hut” sound and then the explosive sneeze. I want to sock him whenever I’m trying to concentrate and he does that right next to me.
It nearly gives me a heart attack.
I have no idea why these things irritate me so much. Kevin says I’m easily irritated, and he’s probably right, but that doesn’t particularly help me.
So there you have it. My irrational annoyance.
(And dare I say, one of many?)
