Messenger, Security Armored Car Service, Inc.
"Lizard shots. I was stationed in Korea, and in one bar there [was] a bottle with a gecko lizard [at the bottom], and the poison from its glands seeped into that liquor. Few were brave enough to even do one shot but, being young and foolish, I did six, and I got very drunk and hallucinated. I saw light before my eyes, thought I heard voices, and my depth perception went all to hell. I've never done acid, but I think it might be something similar to that."
Ninfa Govero
Co-Owner, Strands Salon
"It would be the Metabolife. I was on it for two weeks, and it was making me shake. It totally was not worth it. I got no real results and was irritable the whole time. I can't stress the word 'irritable' enough. I would snap at people. So now I'm on brownies and the treadmill, and I'm very nice."
Donald Meissner
Copywriter, Meissner Communications
"In Santo Domingo we visited a family living in a huge slum, and we sat with the abuela, who brought out this tamarind drink that was very special. And this was at the end of a week of being so careful about eating and drinking. Well, it tasted good and we had a nice time. The next day I got sicker than I've ever been in my life. So by trying to show respect to Grandma, not admitting I was scared, I drank the purple Kool-Aid and paid for it dearly."
Tori Tims
Author, Crocheting Novelty Potholders
"Pepto-Bismol. It gives you that blechhh taste in your mouth. You know you need it for your stomach, and because it's pink it looks like it's gonna be good, like bubble gum, but it tricks you every time. It's nasty, real nasty, and actually you'll probably throw up."
Debbo Burmeister
Graphic Designer/Artist, TRG Group
"Raw duck. I was in Japan and a sushi chef there thought he would impress the Americans, so he gave us his pièce de résistance. It looked slimy, it didn't taste good, and it kind of made me sick, but we had to eat it because otherwise we'd offend the chef. So I ate my portion but spit it in my napkin."
Grant Widhalm
Tour Guide, Schlafly Bottleworks
"Hard to say because since I started working here, I started doing anything for a quarter. I've eaten salmon that got stepped on. I sprayed table-cleaner into my mouth, and I licked the cave ceiling when we toured the Lemp Brewery. Oh, and I've slurped beer off the asphalt, beer that people had spit in, but that was for more than a quarter. I used to be a carpenter, so I have no sense of decency."
