I may owe an apology to zinc tablets.

My cold seems considerably better today, which seems like pretty fast work.

Of course, it might be lurking under the surface, masking its symptoms, growing in power and cunning, poised to hit me hard when I’m in Minot for Høstfest next week.

That was why I didn’t give blood today. They had a drive at work, and I was all set to donate my first pint since I showed up anemic last winter. (The doctor says I’m all better now, and doesn’t appear particularly curious about the cause. Seems to regard the whole business as just a human blip, the sort of thing you’d expect a rickety old man’s body to do now and then, for no apparent reason.) But the Red Cross people told me they prefer folks with colds to keep their infections to themselves.

So, I suppose, some stranger will die for lack of A Positive now.

But at least they’ll die without the sniffles.

On the other hand, I would have provided a nice infusion of zinc to balance it out.