You must have different bugs down there in Huntington beach than we do up here. When I catch a cold, the sore throat is the least of my worries. Usually, the sore throat is only the first symptom, and it's very mild and lasts about a day before the bug moves on to my sinuses and my chest.

The chest is the real problem for me. After the rest of the cold is done, I get a persistent cough that hangs around in my chest for up to a month afterwards, slowly fading away until I don't notice it any more.