We were talking about hay fever, as one will, come hay fever season, and I said, “Yah, and Olive was trying to make me believe that there is a giant pollen cloud over Europe. He said,” I said, “ ‘There is a giant pollen cloud over Europe’!”

“It’s true,” Nai said, “there is a huge yellow mass over Europe.”

“That’s just Chinese people lah,” I said, and we shimmyed to “Tainted Love”.

Still, I don’t think it’s hay fever that’s struck me down today; I’m going to blame it on the long hours at the office and the egregious lack of sleep. The tickle in the throat started around lunchtime, which was a sign to pop out and get a strawberry Cornetto from the grocery shop. I’d figured the cold, creamy goodness would soothe an angry throat. Um. Yes, let’s say that was it. By four o’clock I was ripping open the foil on a packet of blackcurrant Strepsils, OH, how FOUL they are, like a punishment for being ill.

Tonight, it’s chicken soup and citron chauds—and an application letter for a new job, dang it.