had to start the fourth grade with my face disfigured by ugly red
streaks of rash. A few days before, I had spent an afternoon sitting in
a paradise tree which grew in our neighbors' chicken pen. Something had
been bothering the chickens, and I figured I could catch the culprit if
I climbed the tree and hid and watched. During my stake-out I pulled
some leaves from the tree and played with them. That was the day I
discovered my allergy to the sap of paradise trees. My hands and face
were covered with a blistery rash. I was a mess! Oh, how I hated to go
to school looking like that. I just knew the other kids were going to
make fun of me.