I would help him pick lychee so he could take it to market.  (The outside of the fruit is covered by a pink-red, roughly textured rind that is inedible but easily removed to expose a layer of sweet, translucent white flesh.) I'd either use a pole or climb up into the trees, then carefully bring the bunches of lychee down to the ground. If I got hot I would take a few minutes and cool off in the stream. I was probably only 12-13 years old.  My uncle also used to make rat poison for the sugar plantation.  His formula was used extensively to help keep the rat population down and he earned the nickname "The Rat Man". The operation was in an old school building  behind Lihue Plantation mill. The building was right up against the jungle/forest and I'd see all kinds of unusual wildlife and creatures. I used to see what I thought were large moths, but later found out they were tiny Hawaiian bats.

When I got a little older, he hired me to paint large 55 gallon paper drums that were used for the poison. Working for a couple hours, I'd paint about 20 barrels at a time. He never allowed me to go into the areas where he mixed the rat poison.  It was off limits to me!