Manners

My family and I were recently at a first birthday party. While there, one of the relatives to the host family was a twelve-year-old boy who had some sort of cough. I didn't notice it until it was pointed out to me.

Then I heard him.

Cough. Cough. Not just a little cough, but a rough cough with some reverberation. And that happens. The appalling thing was that at no time did the boy cover his mouth with his hand. Not once. Every subsequent cough felt like he was closer and closer to my son and I. Soon, it felt like he was in front of me, coughing in my face.

When it was time for the family to leave, the boy coughed again in front of his mother. No hands. She didn't say a word. It was as if this was normal behavior and not something was needed to be noticed. Like he was tying his shoes or running his hand through his hair.

I can't wait for my child to be old enough to see him make all of these mistakes. Then I'll be able to criticize myself for the lack of manners that he has. Until then, he's perfect and will continue to be so.