If you don't have children,

chances are you've not yet been introduced to the Five Second Rule. As

a matter of fact, if you don't have children, chances are you've not yet

been introduced to a whole lot of interesting things like the wonderful

world of teenagers. But, that's a cynical story for next week. This story

is about the Five Second Rule.

Growing up with four brothers,

one sister, a green parakeet that ate hush puppies off Dad's head and

a swamp for a back yard, I must've lived a sheltered life 'cause until

last month, I never heard about the Five Second Rule. During the summer

The Wife's sister came down for a two-week visit and brought her daughter

and son with her. Seems our nephew was having his tenth birthday and wanted

his party at our house.

After dinner everyone had birthday

cake and ice cream you know, the traditional stuff. It was during the

birthday party that it happened. A forkful of cake was dropped

on the floor by the birthday boy, and unbeknownst to me, the Five Second

Rule immediately went into effect. Without hesitation, the newly turned

ten-year-old reached down, scooped up the piece of cake, tossed it into

his mouth, looked at me and smiled. He said, "Five Second Rule,"

and went on to finish his cake and ice cream.

In horror, I looked at The

Boy. "He's right, Dad, the Five Second Rule is automatically in effect

during all birthday parties."

Afraid of his answer, I asked,

"What in the world is the five second rule?" What in the world

indeed.

He replied, "If during

breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, or birthdays you drop any food on the

ground, carpet, or hardwood floors, you can safely pick it up and eat

it. That's if you do it within five seconds of dropping it. After five

seconds, time is up and the germs jump on it. This rule applies to all

food groups except pudding."

The Wife said she was aware

of the rule. Her sister, the birthday boy and The Niece also said they

were aware of the rule. The Boy, of course, was an expert about the rule.

(I have found out lately that teenagers are experts on most everything.

But there I go again; this story is about the Five Second Rule. The cynical

teenager story will have to wait 'til next week.) It seemed everyone around

the table knew about the Five Second Rule but me.

That night was truly educational

to say the least; the following is what I learned about the Five Second

Rule.

As to the true origin of the

rule nobody really knows; many believe the rule has been around as long

as the Golden Rule. Virtually unchanged since olden days, the rule has

indeed been around for thousands of years, but it hasn't always been five

seconds.

The farther we look back into

history the longer duration the Five Second Rule has. For example: Historians

have traced the Five Second Rule all the way