Nettles

As a boy, on a walk with my family, I thought it would be clever to take a short cut and surprise my parents at the next corner. I nipped into the bushes and jumped smugly over a fence - into a waist deep patch of nettles, in shorts. Pure agony. I was so embarrassed I abandoned the surprise, ran all the way home and locked myself in the bathroom with anti-sting cream and bright red swollen legs.

I never told anyone.