I tried to open a new bottle today.

It was a small one, about 3 inches tall. It came with a fine mist sprayer.

I uncapped it and, with practically all commercially-prepared bottled supplies having freshness seal or a safety ring, I started to look for a possible tab on the seal on this one.

Not seeing any, I checked the free edge which was about 1/16th of an inch to find out where to start.

I eagerly grabbed the first edge with my right thumb and index finger and started the peel.

Unsuccessful, I now used the fingernail on my thumb. Still no dice.

Since I didn’t want to give up that easily, I tried out the entire seal for any possibility, the seal now looking like a crumpled Asian dumpling or apple pie crust and my thumb fingernail almost separating from the thumb itself.

Nothing! Not even a microscopic separation.

I JUST FAILED MISERABLY!

In a fit of exasperation, I got the nearest pair of scissors. With a vengeance, I punched a hole in the middle of the seal.

I then tried pulling the torn edges of the hole. That proved to be a challenge too.

Being all piqued, I grabbed a pair of long-nosed pliers and pulled off the torn edges, mumbling mild expletives in the process.

I twisted the fine mist sprayer on the now opened bottle.

Whew!