One fall we were at our cottage on the lake. We often had a neighbor, friend or relative visiting. On this day there were a couple of neighbor children with us. My brother and the older neighbor boy went off somewhere by themselves, and the younger boy and I went to pick some wild blackberries along the road. Among the berry bushes was some poisonous sumac. Not knowing the difference, we waded through the bushes.
Well, by evening, we were covered with itchy red bumps. Mother went to the drug store to ask the pharmacist what would help to get rid of the stuff (back then, we didn’t run to a doctor, especially if you knew what the problem was). That night and for many more, my mother put socks on my hands so I couldn’t scratch myself. I had learned a hard lesson, but definitely a lasting one!
