When I was a kid, we had a few bushes around the neighborhood, here and there.  They had some red “berries” on them.

We were warned not to eat those “red berries” because they were poisonous, and they would kill us.

Well, Sweet Calamari.

I sure as heck didn’t jerk around with those directives from my parents.
I mean…. when someone lays down the law for you…. some “rules” seem to have a little more stringency than other.  It just kind of goes that way.

For instance:  “Polly, I don’t want you riding your bike up to to the Sandusky Playground.  You can go to the Mercy Playground…   but not Sandusky Park.
Welllllllllll…..   Sandusky was slightly closer.  They had one of those big whirl-around things that made you dizzy.  So…. I still rode my bike there from time to time and played.

BUT.  But. But. But.  When someone tells you not to eat the red berries because you will fall down dead on the spot…. I follow that order to the letter.   And all the chatter was right.   I had… in fact …. NEVER seen a squirrel or a bunny eat those berries.

So.  There you have it.  Was it true?  Would nibbling on one of those little red round orbs put me six feet under?  I have absolutely no idea… but I always wondered if it was a truth.  I don’t even know what kind of ever-greenish bush it was…. not to this day.  Nevertheless… I was very afraid to even test the waters.

But it doesn’t end there.   Here is the deal.  Every time I see a bush with red berries, I make sure I stay very, very clear of that bush.  I’m 50 years old, and I still have the “Horrible and Deadly Red Berry Bush Fear.”    So tonight.. .RIGHT NOW… I am going to go see if I can find the bush.
Give me just a second…..

….. …… ……………… ….
………………. ……………………….
……..  Well HOLY SHIT.  Mom and Dad weren’t jerking me around. I found the bush.  And that berry.
As it turns out… it is …. YEW [Taxus baccata]:  It reads:
Regarded as one of THE most poisonous and deadly plant materials around the scarlet berries of yew contain a slightly sugary gloop surrounding the seed and which can be extracted by VERY GENTLY squeezing the berry. The inner brown-black seed is deadly poisonous and must not be eaten.

Dag nab it!

You know, looking back… when I was about 8…..  I dared Marky Brenton to eat one.  Marky when to the Sandusky School, coincidentally.   But after I challenged him….  well…. you see……   I never saw that kid again.  I thought the family just moved out of the neighborhood… but… but…  well now I am feeling quite bad about the whole deal.

Terrible. In fact.

Okay.  If any knows Marky Brenton on Facebook, can you PM me?

I guess my lesson here is this.

Sometimes, it is important to trust people.  There are occasions in life when someone may know better than me.  And in that moment, I have to trust their advice, their directive, their guidance.    I have to believe they have my best interest in mind.  Because they love and care about me.

But trust is a thing that seems to be earned.  We trust those WE love and care about… probably more than any Joe on the street.
It is a tricky thing in life, when to trust, and when to doubt.  That’s all I have to say about that.

However, when it comes to red berries… it is probably best if you play it safe… rather than sorry.  I’m dead serious on this one.

Learning to trust is one of life’s most difficult tasks.  — Isaac Watts