Coughed at in the kitchen; a question of rights

February 17, 2015

I was getting food from the refrigerator at the unit at Quincy Mental Health Center.  A male patient stood behind me and coughed.  I turned around and asked "What's your problem?"  He said "Nothing. I'm waiting to get into the refrigerator."  I said "I was here first."  He said "I didn't say nothin'."  I said "I knew what you meant."

What he meant was "Get out of my way; you have less right to be here than I do." That's what all the coughing and similar gestures mean, everywhere that they happen.

Copyright L. Kochman, February 17, 2015 @ 12:11 p.m.