Mike Shanin

While enjoying Laura Bush’s speech last Friday at Unity Temple on the Plaza, I began a protracted bout of coughing.  Periodically, I suffer these episodes brought on by bronchitis, sinus irritation, allergies or maybe a combination thereof.  Typically, if this happen, I simply leave my seat quietly and step out, get a drink of water and return.  I chose not to this time because I was sitting on the front row (thanks to the kindness of Vivian Jennings at Rainy Day Books who sponsored the event) and my departure and re-entry would have been viewed by Mrs. Bush and the other 849 people in attendance.  I may enjoy the spotlight, but not that much.  It was a stroke of good fortune that former mayor Dick Berkley was seated near me.  During my coughing spasm, he handed me a cough drop.  That solved the problem and I remained cough free for the rest of the presentation.  Later, I thanked Dick and said the cough drop was a lifesaver.  Then, unable to resist a play-on–words, I added, “ Well, actually, it wasn’t a “Life Saver,” it was a cough drop.”