Samuel Hodgeman

I thought God must have been punishing me for stealing. For the umpteenth time, I had snuck over the fence into the neighbor's yard, and picked a few of his golden-ripe pears off of his tree. I brought them home and sat outside in my yard, and started to eat them.

Before long, my mouth and lips began to itch like they were on fire! I stopped eating my pears, but too late: before long I was having stomach pain and nausea, and that itching just wouldn't go away.

Divine retribution! God must have been punishing me for stealing.

At least, that's how I felt when, for the umpteenth time, I had snuck over the fence into the neighbor's yard, and picked a few of his golden-ripe pears off of his tree. I brought them home and sat outside in my yard, and started to eat them.

Before long, my mouth and lips began to itch and burn! I stopped eating the fruit, but too late: before long I was having stomach pain and nausea, and that itching just wouldn't go away.