2004-01-27-1941Z


Got a good scare today. You know how I'm always edibility-testing different plants? OK, well, either way, that's what I do every few days. Today I tried a new leaf on a common decorative plant here in Florida, that was growing near the bus stop on Taft street close to home. It has large, fleshy leaves and a trunk that looks like a large snake, particularly a boa constrictor. This trunk snakes around along the ground and sends up leafstalks about 7 feet into the air usually.

Anyway, so I was chewing on a piece of a leaf, and it was very bland, like cabbage. But then it hit me. An incredibly painful burning sensation, perhaps oxalate crystals, that seemed to be tearing apart my tongue, inner cheek, and gums. Immediately I spit it out, and washed my mouth out in the little decorative pool outside Walnut Creek homes. Then I quit waiting for the bus and went to Benchwarmer's, where I had a couple pints of Bass and a dolphin sandwich. I also sucked on a slice of lemon to neutralize the oxalates, if that was indeed what they were. After that I felt a little better. I took the #9 bus to Park Rd., and now I'm in Offerdahl's again with my fudge brownie and coffee. Looks like I live to fuck up another day.

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