(My dad was (so told) dared to get close to one of these when he was young and ended up having to have his future wife dig clumps of the cholla out of his upper arm. Smart move. Told this story, I always gave these cacti a wide birth…)
I never got close enough to a cholla to experience its spines, but your father's experience reminds me of film director Werner Herzog. "Herzog promised the actors that if they made it through the rest of filming [of Even Dwarfs Started Small] without any more injuries he would jump into a cactus patch and allow the actors to film him doing so. The film was finished without any further injuries and the director made good his promise and dived into the cacti. Herzog has said, "Getting out was a lot more difficult than jumping in." (Wikipedia).
Aha!! This brings back memories!
(My dad was (so told) dared to get close to one of these when he was young and ended up having to have his future wife dig clumps of the cholla out of his upper arm. Smart move. Told this story, I always gave these cacti a wide birth…)
Oh, my! The impetuousness of youth!
I never got close enough to a cholla to experience its spines, but your father's experience reminds me of film director Werner Herzog. "Herzog promised the actors that if they made it through the rest of filming [of Even Dwarfs Started Small] without any more injuries he would jump into a cactus patch and allow the actors to film him doing so. The film was finished without any further injuries and the director made good his promise and dived into the cacti. Herzog has said, "Getting out was a lot more difficult than jumping in." (Wikipedia).
Omg!!!! 😱🤣