The Quietus - A new rock music and pop culture website

News

Jens Lekman Has Swine Flu
Ben Hewitt , June 30th, 2009 12:22

Swedish singer in 10-day quarantine

The first pop-casualty of swine flu is upon us, and it's in the form of Jens Lekman.

The Swedish indie-singer has been quarantined for 10 days after contracting the virus in South America, after he suffered from a hallucinogenic fever while on an Air France flight crossing the Atlantic and fainted in the plane bathroom.

In an post on his official blog on June 27, Lekman wrote:

“I picked home one last souvenir from South America, it's called the H1N1 virus. Wrongfully known as the Swineflue.

I was crossing the Atlantic when things started getting really bad, the fever was hallucinogenic and shaking me like a leaf and I grabbed the sleeve of the Air France steward. "I'm not feeling well, I should see a doctor" I said and the reply came as a brilliant mix of death anxiety and french rudeness: "Uh, yes... Terminal D... go there maybe... when we land". After that the stewards and stewardesses took long detours. A ring of empty seats formed around me. Peoples eyes were kind but determined, they read "Poor you, I really wish you all the best but if you come near me or my kid I will have to stab you with this plastic fork". I got up and went to the bathroom where I fainted.

Now I'm in quarantine for ten days. I can see the summer through my window and it's just perfect. Summer is always best through a window.”