Here’s a Laugh for the French-Bashers

Sorry for the silence these last few days. I was laid low by a nasty case of food poisoning. For those who want to know the symptoms so they can recognize them, here’s what happens. First: liquid diarrhea. Then stomach cramps that come and go, with stabbing pains. Then a fever–mine rose to 102. You can ride it out–sleep, toss and turn, eat bread and soup and ginger ale–or you can also take antibiotics. It gets better after a few days if you don’t die.

I’m 99% sure the blame goes to Air France. After a four-hour delay preceding a seven hour Paris to New York flight I can time the event to food served on the plane. There was one very dubious gastonomic moment–greenish paté. I only gave it a wee sample taste, but it doesn’t take much to introduce a bug into your system.

I’m still taking it slowly, so please bear with me.