Once there was a cough, a happy little cough that could not find anyone who wanted him.
Every time he found some someone he liked, that person would take medicine and drive him away.
Sitting on the steps of a hospital, the cough didn’t know what to do. So many people coming and going and none would stop and talk to him.
“Oh, how sad it is,” said the happy cough. “As hard as I try I cannot find anyone who wants to keep me.”
And while he was sitting there, a lady bug walked up and asked if he would like a bite of the food she had. It wasn’t much, just a bit of mushroom left over from her lunch.
The happy cough was very thankful but declined saying, “What I really need is a nice warm throat and a pair of good lungs to keep me warm and cozy.”
“Maybe I can help with that,” said the lady bug. “Just hop on to my back and we’ll fly into the hospital to see if anyone will take you.”
“You would do that for me,” said the cough.
“Of course,” said the lady bug. “I’ve seen many coughs in my day but you are the first one I’ve met who was happy. I’m sure someone will want you.”
The cough hopped onto the lady bug’s back and off they flew. And they flew to the top floor of the hospital where lots of old people about to die were waiting to breathe their last breath. There, the cough saw an old woman with long white hair and eyes once bright but tearful now because she was afraid she would die before seeing her granddaughter.
“She will want me,” said the cough.
“Take me to her,” he said, and he pointed at the old woman with long white hair.
The lady bug, as swift as the wind, took the cough and dropped him right on the old ladies lips. At once she inhaled the cough and began coughing violently. She coughed so violently that her granddaughter, who could not see her among the hundreds of old people in beds, immediately noticed her and ran to her side just in time to give her a kiss on the lips before she passed away.
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