Sneak Attack

Some people don't understand allergies.  We have a 'peanut free zone' but one of our guests decided to sneak a bag of snickers bars into the building and eat them, leaving the wrappers stuffed in a bag under a couch.  One of the other guests had a severe allergic reaction and had to head off to the emergency room and we didn't realize why until the guests had all dispersed and I found the hidden stash.  It was easy to tell who did it because of where it was located and because of who had entered the building with a brown bag.

When I talked to the person about it, they were more concerned with justifying how they didn't know and I owed them a second chance, than with how the 'victim' was doing.  This is not the first time this person has broken the health/safety rules and each time he has the same response of making excuses about ignorance and promising that he will never do it again.  It is frustrating and hard to say whether the information sank into his consciousness this time.

At another recent event, I had to help my Mom out the door and into my car when she had a sudden asthma attack.  She had been fine and enjoying the music when a couple arrived wearing a fragrance cloud and suddenly my Mom was coughing hard and unable to catch her breath.  As soon as we were away from the perfumed menace my mother's breathing eased.

For those who think allergies are just an itchy nose and a little inconvenience, it is hard for them to understand how it can be a life threatening thing for some people.