She felt something in her throat. Oh no, she thought. A tiny spot in her throat was burning. She knew what it was. It was the start of a cold. Where did she get it? It was probably the subway, she thought. There's no telling how many germs are on those metal poles. The next day, her throat not only burned, but it itched. Her nose was stuffed. She had to blow it constantly. She was sneezing and coughing. It hurt her throat to talk. She went to the drugstore. She bought nasal decongestant tablets. Each tablet was good for 12 hours. She bought throat lozenges. She called her boss. She told him she wasn't coming in to work. She didn't want to infect everybody. Her boss said, "Don't worry about it. If I'm going to get a cold, I'd rather get it from you than from a total stranger."