Most people know about the three second rule. You know, if food drops to the floor you can still eat it if it has been there less than three seconds.
Perhaps this is more of a ‘guy thing’ and especially for those who went to boarding school.
Or a parent thing, to ward off a tantrum when a toddler drops their biscuit.
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I guess it also depends on the quality of the food that has fallen or dropped to the ground.
The other day I was standing in the queue at a fast food outlet when a woman in front of me came to collect four ice-creams, to take away.
In her haste, she knocked two off the counter and they fell face down on the floor. Splat.
Admittedly, it was a very clean, anti-Covid-19 sprayed floor, but it was the floor nonetheless.
I suspect even a very hungry boarding school boy may not have leapt to rescue the spoiled treat.
The woman stood there frozen for more than a few seconds, definitely more than three.
A conundrum: do I help her pick up the ‘starting to melt’ ice-cream and try to save it?
Or do I suddenly remember there’s a pandemic on the go and dare not take a step closer, lest she give me a quick backhand, suspecting I may pass on something infectious, or make off with her surviving ice-creams.
We both stood still, doing nothing.
The seconds ticked away as the ice-cream changed shape.
In the end, a staff member saved the day.
With a quick nod of reassurance, she made two more ice-creams and sent the smiling mom on her way.
It was a small act of kindness that made all the difference.
The ice-cream had by now melted into a puddle.
A young man dressed in a something a crime scene worker in a CSI programme might wear emerged to sweep away the mess.
I’m almost sure he gave the ice-cream a moment’s consideration – a rueful grin – before getting to work.
I mean, it was ice-cream after all.
The whole thing got me thinking about how much life has changed.
Before Covid-19, I have no doubt someone would have helped the woman with her ice-cream.
But now people are more cautious.
It’s sad in many ways.
Now with lockdown level 1 approaching, some are anxious that people will ‘lose their minds’ and overdo the socialising.
If we do get more of our freedom back, it will be a good thing.
However, if we get overly casual about it, we may spoil things for ourselves in the medium and long term.
So, like the woman and her ice-cream, take it easy for just a while longer.
As the old saying goes, this too will pass. We’ll get back to something closer to normal. Eventually.
Hang in there for at least three more seconds.
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