Many of the troubles we've undergone in recent months have had, if not exactly silver linings, at least a few unexpected compensations. The economic crisis has introduced people to the joys of gardening, made careful budgeting popular and kept people like me from feeling like dinosaurs for not owning the latest new gadget. Furlough days have given people opportunities to finish home improvement projects they never seem to have time for, shop in the less crowded weekday hours, apply for new jobs or even indulge in a rare and cherished afternoon nap.

And, while it lasted, the swine flu scare brought back the luxury of staying home sick with an ordinary cold without feeling like a wimp.

I'm a great believer in taking sick leave when you're sick. Even buoyed up with over-the-counter remedies, you're only operating at partial efficiency at best, so we're all better off if you stay home and keep your germs from infecting the whole office.

That's when you are sick.

When I am sick, it's different. I know the world can't keep turning without me, and after two decades of single parenthood I could probably be declared clinically dead and still manage to get lunches packed, start dinner stewing in the slow cooker and stagger in to work.

After decades of advertising featuring people who are obviously sick but need to keep functioning so they take Super Remedy and -- presto! -- they're back in business, I think most people are too embarrassed to admit they've got a common cold. It's "a touch of the flu" or something, to give it more class.

But if you're going to stay home sick with something, the common cold is about as good as it gets. You're suffering enough to feel you deserve pampering, but you're not too sick to provide said pampering for yourself.

That was the good part of the swine flu scare.

"Well, yes, you could say I have flu-like symptoms," I told the Boss Man with perfect honesty, "but I'm sure it's just an ordinary cold."

It was great. I lay on the futon, sipped teas and tisanes, cleared my sinuses with hot and sour soup, pampered my sore throat with ginger sorbet, napped and read mystery novels. After three days of pampering I was ready to face the world again.

The flu-like symptoms weren't gone yet, so I called the Boss Man.

"How paranoid is everybody about swine flu?" I asked him.

"There's nobody left to be paranoid," he said. "We're way down. But if you're still sick..."

"I'm on my way," I said.

That's the downside of the common cold: It spreads through the office like a hot rumor, leaving the people who are almost well to pick up the slack for the people who aren't.