What’s Funny and What’s Snot

Some years back I walked into a job interview at the St. Petersburg Times with a big booger dangling from my nose. I did not get the job.

Those born of sophistication may not realize that a booger is really just a piece of dried nasal mucus—or, to put it indelicately, dehydrated snot.

Despite its disgusting reputation and ooey-gooey appearance, snot’s not a bad thing. According to Michael M. Johns III, MD, an ear, nose, and throat specialist, "Mucus (a.k.a. snot) is incredibly important for our bodies. It is the oil in the engine. Without mucus, the engine seizes."

WebMD says our bodies are mucus-making machines that churn out about a liter of the slimy, yellow-green goop daily, adding that mucus “acts as a sort of flypaper, trapping unwanted substances like bacteria and dust before they can get into the body.”

While I’m pleased that my mucus-maker is morbidly functional and helps protect me from bacteria and viruses, I wish it had an alarm mechanism that would alert me to low-hanging boogers and other potentially repulsive excretions.

I found out about my nasty nose-fruit when I went into the restroom following the interview in St. Pete. One look in the mirror, and I knew the job was gone, along with my reputation.

Why didn’t the person interviewing me mention the booger? I’ll never know. One thing I learned from that embarrassing episode is that snot is not funny—unless, of course, it’s swinging from somebody else's nostril. Then I'd probably laugh like a maniac.

SOURCE: https://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/the-truth-about-mucus#1