Growth Spurt

After Ear Operation

When I was around 10 years old, I earned a reputation for loving really really hot chili peppers. I don’t know where or how I earned that reputation but I reveled in it. Whenever someone warned, “Be careful those are really hot!” someone in my family would boast, “Oh Karen can eat those. She loves them.” At which point, I’d grab the biggest chili pepper on the plate, throw it in my mouth, chew, and swallow without flinching. People were genuinely impressed and, for a beautiful moment, I was a superstar! Then one day, in the middle of this charade, I woke up. There I was, in excruciating pain, tears rolling down my cheeks, when it dawned on me, I really don’t like them quite so hot.

As far as I know, that was my first identity crisis and I prevailed! I lost count of all the chili peppers I had to choke down before that one definitive pepper “smote the sinew” of self-deception and sent me on my way. The people-pleasing, pepper-eating, pretend-person would never willingly burn this tender Irish mouth again.