When was the last time you had a lollipop?

For me, it had been so long I can乌鸦传媒檛 remember. So when the chance presented it recently, I took it.

I had purchased a kid乌鸦传媒檚 meal at a fast food place for the rapidly growing 12-year-old in our house.

Turns out, it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 nearly enough for his ravenous appetite, but that乌鸦传媒檚 a story for another day.

Within that 乌鸦传媒榯astes good, not so good for you乌鸦传媒� package was a lollipop.

He left it behind.

乌鸦传媒淵ou want that?乌鸦传媒� I asked.

乌鸦传媒淣o. Help yourself.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淢ost excellent,乌鸦传媒� I thought.

I took off its plastic cover, got in one furtive lick before the other ravenous beast in the house 乌鸦传媒� the dog 乌鸦传媒� came rumbling over to see if it was a treat for him.

As I tried to slip past him, I dropped the lollipop.

Shouting 乌鸦传媒渘o乌鸦传媒� at the dog, I grabbed quickly for the candy.

My internal monologue automatically went 乌鸦传媒渇ive-second rule.乌鸦传媒�

That rule, of course, being the old adage that if you drop some food but pick it up within five seconds, there won乌鸦传媒檛 be enough time for nasty bacteria to attack.

I can still remember the exact minute I first heard the term. I was maybe five, and my Gramps was passing me a burger made on the barbecue. I dropped it and became instantly sad.

Gramps pounced, much like I did many times later in life, scooped it up and proclaimed 乌鸦传媒渇ive-second rule.乌鸦传媒�

He explained it to me and I happily ate the burger with no ill effects.

I also didn乌鸦传媒檛 understand how a little dirt would put hair on my chest, but I didn乌鸦传媒檛 question that either.

Now, we乌鸦传媒檙e able to immediately look up things like this, and I can quickly learn that scientific studies have shown that bacteria can transfer to food almost instantly upon contact with contaminated surfaces, regardless of how quickly you pick it up.

Dang.

Even knowing that, I still just gave the lollipop a quick rinse, finished it in about two chomps and that was that.

It got me wondering what type of other old gems of advice we used to get, and how they stand up today.

Remember 乌鸦传媒渄on乌鸦传媒檛 sit within six feet of the TV or you乌鸦传媒檒l go blind乌鸦传媒�?

The parents said this, conveniently ignoring the fact we had to lie on the ground right in front of the TV to be low enough to avoid the cloud of toxic cigarette smoke that filled the room.

乌鸦传媒淒on乌鸦传媒檛 go outside with wet hair; you乌鸦传媒檒l catch a cold.乌鸦传媒�

I still think about that every time I go out after hopping in the shower 乌鸦传媒� even after looking it up and seeing colds are caused by viruses, not temperature exposure.

乌鸦传媒淓ating carrots will improve your eyesight.乌鸦传媒�

Maybe partially true, since Vitamin A is good for eye health, but I questioned that right from the start.

乌鸦传媒淢um, how come you need glasses but you乌鸦传媒檙e always eating carrots?乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淗ow come Bugs Bunny can乌鸦传媒檛 see like Superman?乌鸦传媒�

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Another one:

乌鸦传媒淚f you cross your eyes, they乌鸦传媒檒l stay that way.乌鸦传媒�

This may have been meant to make me stop making goofy faces at my sister but even then I knew my eyes wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 stay that way.

How did I know?

Because I went into the bathroom and timed how long I could hold the silly pose, and nothing happened.

乌鸦传媒淒on乌鸦传媒檛 swallow gum; it takes seven years to digest.乌鸦传媒�

This one was kind of scary.

I remember accidentally swallowing gum a few times as a kid and thinking it would be lodge in there and block things up. Today, I learn that you may not be able to digest it, but it proceeds through just like anything else.

Whew.

Along the same lines: 乌鸦传媒淚f you swallow watermelon seeds they will grow in your stomach.乌鸦传媒�

This was also mildly scary, but watermelon was so good it was worth the risk.

乌鸦传媒淐racking your knuckles causes arthritis.乌鸦传媒�

Strictly designed to make you stop making the annoying sounds. For one, I didn乌鸦传媒檛 know what arthritis was. But two, I do have arthritic knees, so maybe there was something there.

Can you remember old tales like that your parents told you? I乌鸦传媒檇 love to hear them.

PQB News/VI Free Daily editor Philip Wolf welcomes your questions, comments and story ideas. He can be reached at 250-905-0019 or by email at philip.wolf@blackpress.ca.