Monday, December 28, 2009

Don't stick your tongue on the frozen pipe.

If you have lived in a cold area, you have probably been warned about touching or licking a freezing metal rod. Muriel had personal experience and told all of us NOT to stick your tongue on a frozen pipe. When she was young she had done just that. In seconds her tongue was frozen to the metal fence. Reports that I have heard from people in this predicament state that if you try to pull your tongue away, you will leave a layer of skin behind. In Muriel's case a kind and wise adult came to her rescue. He went and got a bottle of alcohol and poured it over her tongue. The liquid which does not freeze at 32 degrees F or 0 C thawed the ice holding her tongue fast to the metal. She was able to pull her tongue safely off the fence/gate. Needless to say, I never was tempted to find out if my tongue would really stick to a freezing pipe. I was sure that no wise adult would show up to rescue me.

I hope that perhaps John or Margaret have some additional remembrances about this story from when Mom was a small girl.

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