An Even Scarier Thing

This time of year is filled with frights--and I'm not even talking about Tristan's squirting blood. No--there's something even scarier than kids going around with costumes. Kids going around with germs.
There were several kids out sick in our class last week, and Lucas claimed that he is "really close to having Swine Flu." Is he anticipating catching the flu in the next few hours? Does he have something from nearby in the animal flu kingdom--Bird Flu perhaps? To keep all of these germs as contained as possible and to not get Lucas any closer to Swine Flu than he apparently already is, we're reminding everyone to cover their coughs, wash your hands with soap, use hand sanitizer, etc. These were some tips that the assistant principal got at our whole school meeting the other day when she asked for ideas on staying healthy. A few kids also offered suggestions that they clearly have filed under the broad category of "Health, Good." "Brush your teeth" one child called out. "Eat vegetables" volunteered another. Yes--all good things, but the main thing we're trying to impress upon you, children, is DO NOT GET ANYONE ELSE SICK.
To further reinforce this goal, I'm even bringing in some of the professional literature on the topic. I was flipping through the guided reading books the other day, and hit upon one cutting-edge medical treatise called, "Germs! Germs! Germs!" The book's illustrations include various multicolored, amorphous representations of microorganisms with extremely menacing grins as they hold up their germy appendages, ready to pounce. "We're on the ground. We're in the air. We're GERMS and we live everywhere!" begins the book. I challenge you to find a Halloween story that's spookier than that!