Lately I've been thinking about the psychology behind modern day conversation. It might be just me and in actual fact probably is but a lot of conversations I have, even with complete strangers such as the sales assistant at the local bakery, are all pre-played in my mind before I have them. I feel the need these days to ensure that the words that come out of my mouth has been studied and cleansed of anything that could possibly be considered offensive, defensive, rude, racist, accusatory, selfish, ignorant or nosey.
This morning for instance I've been rearranging words in my head that I need to tell the manager of the pool where Henry goes to swimming lessons. She's done nothing wrong and is in fact a very nice person if not a little dismissive at times. You see I developed some horrid rash along my arms and lower back and I had no idea what had caused it. I never get rashes and have never had an allergic reaction to anything before that might have caused it. I ignored it and hoped it would go away. It didn't. It festered and blistered and got itchy and sore. I went to the doctor who told me it was folliculitis - an infection of the hair follicles caused by heat and synthetic clothing or heated pools and spas. Since I rarely wear synthetic clothing and on the rare occasions that I have in the past have never developed such a rash I assumed it may have come from the heated pool at which Henry has his lessons but I don't know that for sure.
I have antibiotics, usually prescribed for severe acne, which is clearing the problem up but I don't want to go to swimming lessons this morning in case it flares up again and also in case I transmit it to someone else. I also had surgery on my shoulder last Wednesday and don't want to risk getting that infected. Anyway I wanted to call the pool and tell them I wouldn't be coming this morning but I also feel I should mention the folliculitis to them but I'm unsure how to bring it up without sounding like I'm accusing them of infecting me. I'm not angry about it and I have no proof that it was the pool that did it to me but I feel I need to let them know in case someone else gets it. It's not nice and definitely unattractive, especially when it's making your bum spotty like the face of an acne prone teenager.
Give me some advice people. Run that conversation over in your mind and flip some words around and give me your final version.
2 comments:
How about:
Hi, listen we won't be in at swimming today. I want to explain why but I want to be clear that this isn't said accusingly. I have developed a rash and my doctor has informed that it's called ..... (insert info about it here). It's possible that it's something that has been picked up at your pool and I just felt that I should let you know for health reasons. I won't be in today as I don't wish to transmit this to anyone else in the event that it is something transmissible in the water. Anyway I just wanted to let you know what my doctor has told me.
I guess at that point you have to gauge their reaction as to how to proceed - can't really rehearse that bit then can you...... best of luck.
Carla
p.s. just realised you have probably already had to deal with this - what did you say??
Actually I didn't have to say anything as when I called I got the answering machine. I figured it wasn't a good idea to leave that on an answering machine. I'll try again today from work. They need to know.
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