he feeling that I had been emotionally short-changed began shortly after a telephone conversation with my sister. During one of her insomniac periods, she read a newspaper article written by me about the indestructible mother-in-law’stongue or snake plant. I had apparently claimed that it is nearly impossible to kill this African icon, which has become a popular houseplant. There were tears in her voice when she phoned to tell me that I have been misleading folks, as she has killed the that she paid a fortune for. Apparently the plastic version that she then bought at a home store to replace it cost her double! She now feels that she has been cheated by the
