When Ethan entered the dorm room, Dustin was already there, unpacking. He crossed over to Ethan and his parents and introduced himself. “My parents just left.” He said apologetically. “They were hoping to meet you.”
“The line for the loft was longer than we expected.” Ethan said.
Dustin nodded. “We had the same thing. I took the right side; I hope you don’t mind.”
Ethan shook his head. They look the same to me.” He laughed.
Dustin returned to unpacking while Ethan and his parents set up Ethan’s stuff, then left him to unpack his belongings.
Ethan had been unpacking for about 5 minutes when Dustin heard a loud “Hatchoo!” From Ethan’s side of the room. He looked over and saw Ethan wiping his nose with a tissue.
“Bless you.” He called over.
“Thanks.” Ethan returned to hanging his clothes in the closet.
15 minutes later, Dustin heard another powerful “Hatshoo!” From Ethan and looked over to see him doubled over from from the force of it.
“Bless you.”
“Thanks.” Ethan paused for a second and blew his nose. “I have allergies.” He said softly. “It’s not a cold or anything.”
Dustin nodded. Allergies he understood all too well. He scrubbed at his itchy nose, trying to forestall the sneezes he’d been holding back the last 20 minutes. “You’ve got quite a sneeze.” He commented.
“Yeah.” Ethan agreed, flushing red. He went back to stocking his desk.
Ethan was putting his things in his nightstand when Dustin lost his battle holding back his sneezes. “Hakishoo-kishoo-kshoo-Kshoo-shoo-shoo. Hakishoo.”
“Bless you.” Ethan out forth, unsure if this was typical of his new roommate, but too shy to comment or ask.
“Thanks.” Dustin rubbed at his nose again. “Allergies.” He explained.
Ethan nodded, relieved. Hopefully, this meant his new roommate wouldn’t be irritated by his allergies. He rubbed his nose as a strong gust of wind blew through the open window, bringing with it the strong smell of freshly cut grass.
He heard Dustin sniff sharply.
“Hakishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo. Hakishoo. Hakishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo. Hakishoo. Hakishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo. Haskishoo. Hakishoo-Kishoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo. Hakishoo!”
Dizzy, Dustin sank down in his desk chair, fumbling for a tissue from the box on his desk, and blowing his nose, slowly catching his breath.
“God bless you.” Ethan stared at him with a look of concern and astonishment on his face. “You ok?”
Dustin nodded. “Thanks.” He managed.
“Did you seriously just sneeze like 30 times in maybe 3 minutes?”
Dustin nodded again. “Hate it when that happens.”
“That happen often?”
“No.” Dustin shook his head. “Just once in awhile. Grass or dust is what typically triggers that.”
Ethan nodded, clapping a hand over his nose. “Hatchoo!” He gave a few wet sniffles and patted his pockets, looking for a tissue, coming up empty.
“Bless you.” Dustin offered over his box of tissues.
“Thanks.”
Dustin snagged a tissue as he put the box back on his desk, holding it in anticipation. “Grass is the worst,” he explained, scrubbing at his nose.
“Why don’t we close the window?” Ethan suggested. “Smells like they mowed earlier.”
Dustin nodded. “They were when I got here. I’ve been sneezing aahhll day…HahKishoo-kihshoo-kihshoo-kshoo-Kshoo-shoo. HahKishoo. Nghh.”
“Bless.” Ethan got up and closed the window, arranging the fans so there was a cross breeze. He turned back to Dustin. “You always sneeze like that?” He pulled his desk chair over.
“Yeah. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Usually with allergies, it’s more. You’ll get sick of it. My allergies are year round.”
“Mine are mostly spring and fall. They’re horrible in the spring though. I’m sure I’ll drive you crazy with my sneezing then.”
“”Mostly” spring and fall?” Dustin asked
“It’s mostly seasonal pollens. If it’s really bad in the summer, they kick in. And I’m allergic to dogs which are pretty avoidable and dust which isn’t.”
“There’s pollens year round that get to me. Plus the grass as you just saw. Dust, cats, feathers…most of them are pretty mild though.”
“Except for the grass.”
“Grass sets me off worse than anything. Triggers my asthma too.”
“You have asthma?”
“It’s really only a problem if my allergies are bad or if I’m really sick.” He paused. “I don’t run outside though.”
Ethan chuckled. “Neither do I. In the spring and fall, I sneeze too much.”
Dustin smiled. “I should probably warn you now; I snore.”
“Because of the allergies.” He shrugged. “Unless my allergies are bad, nothing keeps me awake. I snore when I’m sick. I don’t get that congested with allergies; my nose mostly just runs, but I get incredibly stuffed up when I’m sick.” He pressed his crumpled tissue to his nose. “HahChoo! Ugh. I should go find the box I packed the tissues in.” He sniffled, carefully wiping his nose.
Dustin passed the box over again, grinning. “You always sneeze like it’s straight out of a children’s book?”
Ethan laughed. It wasn’t the first time he’d been asked that. “Yes. It’s always like that, always one, always spaced out, and always loud. Unless I sneeze into my pillow, I can’t make it quiet, I can’t hold it back, I can’t stifle, and I can’t stop them.”
“So not at all like mine.”
“I love it if they were quieter like yours. And the closest they get together is a couple minutes if I’m having an allergy attack. Even so, 30 sneezes for me takes close to an hour.”
Dustin shook his head. “Damn, that’s gotta suck.”
Ethan nodded as Dustin clamped another tissue to his nose. “HahKishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo -shoo-shoo-shoo. HahKishoo! Sorry I keep sneezing like this.”
Ethan shrugged. “You can’t help it.” He looked at his watch. “Umm, I need to eat. Feel up to walking over to the dining hall?”
“Can you give me a half hour for my nose to calm down before I go outside?”
“Yeah. I have to check my blood sugar and see how much insulin I need first.” He agreed.
“Diabetic?”
“Since I was 7,” Ethan confirmed.
“Anything I should watch for?”
“I get tired and cranky when my blood sugar is low. Also get headaches, along with the typical dizzy, sweaty…” he trailed off. “I eat 6 times a day, pretty much on a schedule – 3 meals, 3 snacks. On insulin. Glucose gel and tablets in my top desk drawer. Carry lifesavers on me. Where do you keep your inhaler?”
“In my-
“Atchoo.” Ethan interrupted. “Sorry.”
“In my pocket.” Dustin started again, “and bless you.”
“I’m gonna go find those tissues.” Ethan got up and opened his last four boxes, pulling out a couple boxes of tissues. He stashed two of them in the closet and brought the other back over to where he and Dustin were sitting, and where Dustin was presently sneezing.
“Bless you. I think you need yours.” He teased, setting the box in the floor next to him. “On the bright side, we’re less likely to drive the other crazy with our allergies since we each get it.”
Dustin smiled. “I did worry about that.” He confessed. “Ready for lunch?”
“Give me 5 minutes to do my thing.” He said, blowing his nose. He crammed a handful of tissues in his pocket before testing his blood sugar and taking his insulin, then waited as Dustin gave his nose several strong blows before filling his own pockets with tissues.
The two of them headed out for the short walk to the dining hall where they continued getting to know each other before they resumed unpacking.
Aggedy Ann 