Never Ever
January 18, 2026
“Whatever you do, never ever stick your tongue on a pump handle,” cautioned our hired hand.
It just so happened we had a pump handle between the house and the barn.
It was winter.
Ever curious, I thought about it. The next time I went outside, I walked over to the pump. At that tender age, I didn’t see what all the fuss was about. So I tested it out.
And stuck fast.
It instantly became clear why I should never ever stick my tongue on a pump handle. It was so cold, it felt like my tongue was burning. I was outside alone, so there was no one to help me. Wanting to get away from it, I jerked my head back—and took a layer of skin off my tongue.
That hurt almost as bad as it did while my tongue was still stuck on the pump handle, and it continued to hurt for several days afterward.
My mother had words for the hired hand.
Through My Eyes, Gently 