Peppers

[yosnowden]

There's a "free food" spot at work, where people occasionally leave extra eatables. Last week someone brought in a bunch of peppers from their garden: some little bell peppers, jalapenos, and some little red peppers who's likes I hadn't seen before. I took a handful and sauteed the bell peppers this evening to go with a baked potato. After cooking and tasting, I realized that they were not bell peppers but a much hotter variety, something more along the lines of a scotch bonnet. I didn't notice anything when I was handling them to cut them up, but after I threw them in the pan my fingers started tingling and now I can't go into the kitchen without having a coughing fit. They were quite tasty (although I had to accompany the potato with three glasses of milk), but I managed to touch my face before I realized what I was dealing with, although I had the good luck to stay away from my eyes. So my face is on fire (my hands have gone numb). I may have to run to the store to get a carton of sour cream to lather on my face (I don't think the milk has the consistency to stay put long enough). I suppose this is why one ought to be careful about free food, and make sure to identify it quite thoroughly before ingesting. And my roommate's gone, so I don't even have the solace of someone to sympathize with me in my stupidity. Agony!

Edit: Things which are not working: Washing with warm soapy water, soaking in milk, Aloe Vera, hydrocortisone cream.