Last night we were eating at Cracker Barrel when Joshua suddenly convulsed into this raging coughing fit. For something like 15 or 20 seconds, he was hacking and wheezing and spewing spittle everywhere, all over his plate, our biscuits…everything. While this was going on, I was simultaneously concerned for his life and irritated that he wasn’t covering his mouth. Granted, he looked scared to death, so it was hard to fault the little guy for forgetting the rules of etiquette in his moment of desperation. Survival over manners I always say.

Anyway, when he was done and everyone in the restaurant had stopped staring at us, I leaned down to Joshua’s face and said, “Are you all right, man?”

“Yes,” he managed, as cough-induced tears wet his eyelashes.

“You know, buddy, when you’re coughing like that, try and remember to cover your mouth. Okay?”

“Okay, Dad,” he replied.

After a moment he looked back at me and said, “Dad?”

“Yes, son?”

“Is that why God gave us hands? So we could cover our mouths when we cough?”

Unsure of what to say, I looked at him and said, “Uh, among other things….yeah.”

Happy New Year everybody.