Health Nut Hal walked in at just the wrong moment. The glare he got from Tayshaun as he turned the corner into the living room could have frozen a volcano.

“Whoa, dude. What’s that steam coming from your ears all about?” asked Hal.

“Sorry, Hal, it’s not you man. It’s my mom,” answered Tayshaun as his icy glared started to melt. “She thinks she knows everything and I don’t know nothin’.”

Hal chuckled, “Shoot, it’s that way with every adult, bro. They all think they know and that kids don’t.”

“Yeah, well, she’s telling me I gotta learn how to use this stupid puffer and spacer thingy,” said Tayshaun as he held up an inhaler stuck into the end of a small, clear plastic tube. “She said Doc Yan don’t want me using my nebulizer for my asthma meds anymore, at least not all the time. I told her I like my neb machine. Heck, I been usin’ it since I can’t even remember when. It’s always been just fine. I don’t get why I gotta change.”

“So…what…you don’t like the spacer?” Hal questioned.

“Yeah. I mean, no. I mean, no, it isn’t that. I like my nebs. It works and I don’t gotta think about it. I just turn it on and it blows out the medicine. I just sit back and breathe. Easy peezy. This whole puffer-spacer thing takes a lotta work. You gotta shake it. You gotta hold it just right. You gotta breathe just right. You gotta hold your breath. Too much trouble,” defended Tayshaun.

“You really think it’s that much trouble,” Hal kept questioning.

“Well, yeah. I mean, no. I mean…aw…I don’t know,” Tayshaun hedged. “I just know I’ve used my neb machine since I can’t even remember when and it just blows out the medicine, I sit there and breathe while watching cartoons and I don’t have to think about it. Easy peezy, like I said. This thing I just can’t get. I keep messing it up. Mom keeps making me practice and I just want to get back to my game time.”

“Aw…the truth comes out,” Hal said with a grin. “Bring it here, bro. I can help you learn how in no time and get you back to griefing in Minecraft before you know it. Heck, I helped Jimmy John learn how to use his and he’s the most uncoordinated guy I know. You’ll have it before you can say, ‘Overworld!’”

Tayshaun grinned and handed Hal the inhaler and spacer saying, “You really are ‘Health Nut Hal.’”
 

Dr. Gregg
Posted – August 21, 2012