Day 291: Do you remember when you first realized what a germ was? Perhaps it was the first time you peered into a microscope, or when your mother explained why hand sanitizer is a thing.
For me, it was advertising. There was a commercial for an athlete’s foot product where red angry demons stabbed a cartoon foot with their pitchforks. When I asked what was going on and my big brother explained that, invisible to the human eye, there were millions of little organisms crawling around on us, I would no longer go outdoors without wearing shoes and socks. No more bare feet. No more sandals. And even then, if I was sent to the barn with something for Dad, I sprinted, terrified that those germs were gonna get me with their pitchforks.
I have relaxed considerably since then, although I still have a healthy regard for soap in all its varieties. And if I head to the airport wearing sandals, you can bet I will have a pair of socks to wear through security. Barefoot through the x-ray machine? Not on your life.
Comments