Daring

He was a brave guy, strong and confident. I don’t think I ever saw him show any fear. Looking back now, that was probably his downfall. He got too comfortable really. I don’t know exactly what he thought at the time, he wasn’t one to share his emotions freely. But if I had to guess, I’d say that he was thinking that he’d be fine. He knew that the chilli would be hot, but I don’t think he thought it would be too hot for him, he thought he could handle it.

It’s a pretty tough way to go, when you think about it. I was talking to the doctor afterwards, after it was clear what had happened. I don’t know why I felt I needed to speak to the poor doc, it must have been my way of reacting to the shock. But I asked him about the detail, and he told me that in these cases, generally speaking, the tongue swells and the ears burn and the entire brain actually explodes. It sounded to me like a horrible way to go, and I said as much to the doctor. But he told me no, for the patient it’s just a numbness, the heat rises up in his chest and throat and to him it feels like he’s slowly drifting off to sleep.

I don’t really know how the doctor thinks he could know that. But it’s what I’m choosing to believe. I like to imagine that my fried went quietly and comfortable, despite the terrible circumstances. The only thing that’s left for me now is to spread the word. Sure they’re tasty, but please ladies and gentleman, think carefully about how much chilli you’re adding to your meal. It may seem like fun at the time but it’s a very serious game you’re playing.