“A girl at golf practice started calling me ‘swine flu boy swine flu boy,’ I didn’t even have swine flu, I just had the flu” said Erik Downs, a junior at Flagler College.
Downs, 21, was one of the first few students that became ill at Flagler when the Influenza virus broke out. He first began to feel ill around September 6th, while playing a golf tournament for Flagler’s golf team up in Kiawah Island, S.C. After returning from the tournament on September 8th, the next day he went to see Flagler’s nurse, who told him he just had the flu not the swine flu.
“Being sick for a week was awful, but I got to catch up on my movies, and all the teachers really understood so that was great,” said Downs. Downs’ girlfriend, Alexis Smith said, “I think that Erik got sick from sharing cups during beer pong, one of other friends was sick and didn’t know it. I was just sad that I had to work and couldn’t take care of him as much.” Under Smith’s watch Downs’ started to feel better.
When Downs’ returned to golf practice the following week he became concerned with the name calling that occurred by a fellow teammate at practice. A member of the girl’s golf team proceeded to call Downs’ ‘Swine Flu Boy’ despite the fact that he never had the virus. Downs’ grew worried that the name calling would be the start of rumors around the campus.
“People who start the name calling are idiots. If someone at golf practice overheard the name calling, they might think Erik really did have the swine flu and then people would be avoiding him and spreading gossip,” said Kodi Merrell, Downs’ roommate. The following day a friend came up and asked Downs’ if he had the swine flu, to which he replied no. The name-calling that was just meant to be a joke, has already started some concerns among the students.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
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