Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers
(Hee.)

Janelle and I are 27 and 29 respectively, and we still pay people to eat things. Is there some age where we were supposed to grow out of this? Maybe sometime around...say... 12? Last Saturday night we were at her son's birthday party, sitting on a porch surrounded by random plants. One of them had hot little peppers on them.

Me: Hey Janelle, I'll give you five bucks to eat one of those peppers.
Janelle: No way man. I'll give YOU five bucks to do it.
Me: (getting up and nibbling on the edge of a green one) Bleeehhhh no way. Hey, get Sean to do it.
Janelle: Sean, I'll pay you five bucks to eat one of those peppers.
MeL: Rip it off the tree, pop it into your mouth, chew and swallow it all.
Sean: Five bucks huh? How about ten.
Janelle: No, five.
Sean: Show me the money.
Janelle: I don't have cash. I'll write you a check.
Sean: Show me the checkbook then.
Me: Eat the bright little dried up red one.
Sean (after Janelle goes inside to get her checkbook): Can you at least wash the pepper.
Me: Alright.

(Two minutes later)

Sean: Okay write the check out.
Me: What are you going to put in the "memo" field?
Janelle: "For eating red pepper."
Sean (taking the check): Okay here goes.
Me, Janelle and Ben (watching in horrified fascination): Eeeeeew....
Janelle: Is it really hot?
Me: Are your lips burning?
Sean (croaking): No, it's fine.

(Five minutes later)
Sean: Hey Janelle, I'll give you the check back if you take a pepper, break it in half then rub it all over the outside of your lips.
Janelle: No way, that would hurt worse than eating it.
Me: Maybe I'll do it. Then you'd have to endorse the check over to me.
Sean: Okay I'll do that.
Me: Nahh maybe not.