Poison Ivy

“Timmy!” called Mrs. Nelson. “Supper is ready.”

“I’m coming, Mom,” Timmy answered. “I have to go now, Billy.”

“See you tomorrow,” said Billy.

“You bet,” said Timmy.

As Timmy walked home, he happened to spot a shiny object on the side of the road. He bent over to pick it up. It turned out to be an old coin.

“Wow!” exclaimed Timmy, to himself. “I’ll have to take this home and show Dad.”

That evening, Timmy showed the old coin to his father.

“Pretty impressive coin,” his father said. “Where did you find it?”

“On the side of the road,” said Timmy, proudly.

“Here, take this coin and put it in a safe place,” said Mr. Nelson, handing coin back to him. “Maybe it’ll be a good luck charm.”

“Do you think so?” asked Timmy.

“Well,” said Mr. Nelson. “You never know.”

A few days later, Timmy was outside playing with Billy again.

“I found a coin the other night,” said Timmy.

“A coin!” exclaimed Billy. “Is it valuable?”

“No,” said Timmy, who just then had this terrible urge to itch. “Daddy said that it might be a good luck charm.”

“Timmy,” said Billy. “How come your scratching yourself?”

“I don’t know Billy, but I’m very itchy,” said Timmy. “I’m going to have to go home. I can’t stand this itching any longer.”

“Okay,” said Billy. “See you later.”

“Yes,” said Timmy miserably. “See you later, Billy.”

Once at home, Timmy found his mother in the basement doing the laundry.

“Mom, I’m itchy,” said Timmy.

“Let me take a look,” said Mrs. Nelson. “Oh, my Timmy, you’ve got a terrible rash all over you! I’m going to have to call the doctor.”

“Come on Timmy,” said Mrs. Nelson a few minutes later. “I was able to get you an appointment with Dr. Spicer this afternoon.”

Timmy and Mrs. Nelson were sitting in the waiting room of the doctors clinic.

“Timmy Nelson,” called the nurse. “Dr. Spicer will see you now.”

“So, Timmy,” said Dr. Spicer, entering the examination room. “What have you gotten yourself into?”

“I don’t know,” said Timmy.

Dr. Spicer took a hold of one of Timmy’s arms and examined it very closely.

“I’d say that you have gotten yourself into a mess of poison ivy,” said Dr. Spicer after a few minutes.

“Poison Ivy!” exclaimed Mrs. Nelson.

“Yes,” said Dr. Spicer. “That is what it looks like to me. Timmy, do you remember where you came into contact with poison ivy.”

“No, I don’t,” said Timmy. “I don’t even know what poison ivy looks like.”

“Here,” said Dr. Spicer. “Follow me.”

Dr. Spicer took Timmy by the hand and led him outside.

“This is poison ivy,” said Dr. Spicer, bending over a three leafed plant.

“Oh, that stuff,” said Timmy. “I did see some the day that I found my lucky coin. It was right beside the road.”

“Well,” laughed Dr. Spicer. “I guess your lucky coin isn’t so lucky after all!”