Ahem... ahem...

Coughs look like THIS










I was at a poetry reading the other day and when the reader said she might be a bit hoarse with a sore throat (pause to sip a glass of wine), a ripple of polite laughter passed through the audience. Would you laugh if I told you that? If your plumber did? Why do people laugh at the unfunniest things at poetry readings? I can come round to your place and cough all evening, if that's your idea of fun.