If you eat that germ stuff you won't get sick...

so far, during this current cold and flu season, i have been sick twice with upper respiratory infections. a couple of months ago, i was walking down a school hallway, and i passed three probable kindergardeners, and one said, "If you eat that germ stuff you won't get sick." i smiled and chuckled to myself as i walked on to my destination.

as an alleged adult with no kids (that i know of, although i am hoping to be a finalist in the Anna Nicole sweepstakes), i don't have many opportunities to get a child's perception of a situation. i mean, if that 'germ stuff' IS good enough to keep your hands clean, why couldn't you eat it and keep the inside of your own body clean and germ free? the child thinks that anything is possible because of limitation free imagination, while the adult is living in absolute reality, reading the warning label and saying things like "don't put that in your mouth!"

this is a good story because it is funny/yucky (eating that stuff HAS to be worse than eating paste, um, not that i would know or anything), and because it is generally great to be a kid growing up in America. no real responsibilities, mom can heal cuts and bruises with a kiss, dad can fix anything, and you can throw a tantrum and the worst punishment is going to 'time out' (vs. getting fired or worse as an adult).

Note: you know, i think i pretty much remember every paddling that i ever got at school or at home, and i don't think that 'time out' would have had the same effect on me as a butt whooping. thanks for reading this public service announcement from the 1970's. you may now return to the politically correct era of your choice.

i guess i am trying to say that as adults, we sometimes make things and situations more complicated than they should be. we don't take things for face value and riff off of that to come up with a new concept or idea. we don't want to offend or step on anyone's toes so that being uber sensitive takes on more importance than it should. let's go back to keeping things simple, and the world will be a better place for it.