The Triple-Dog-Dare

January 19, 2007 7:43 AM

Life imitates art: a schoochild in Wisconsin stuck his tongue on a frozen flag pole in the schoolyard this week, requiring the fire department to come and unstick him through the application of warm water. (via Obscure Store) Question inside.

Help me remember -- I distinctly recall reading a similar story where the only way to get the kid's tongue unstuck was to use fresh warm urine (i.e. pee on the kid's tongue). Was that how it went in the original Jean Shepherd story, or am I remembering something else?

(And, no, not the Friends episode where they have to pee on Monica)

posted by briank to media & arts (18 comments total)

Was it this? It features a woman's butt, not a kid's tongue, but is otherwise similar. (Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd type.)
posted by MsMolly at 8:01 AM on January 19, 2007

I've heard the story (years ago) about this happening somewhere away from available water, and urine having to be used. It was certainly a tongue that had to be unstuck, and the story was about a son being freed by his father.

Quite aside from the Freudian overtones of the story I remember, I'm quite sure that this is something that's happened enough, and is the source of enough speculation, to be within the realm of legend. I could be wrong, but I would be surprised if there's an "original" of this little vignette in the same way that there's an original story of A Conn Yankee at King Arthur's Court.
posted by OmieWise at 9:04 AM on January 19, 2007

A Lifehacker link says use WD-40.
posted by KRS at 10:06 AM on January 19, 2007

Why not use alcohol? I'd rather whiskey than WD-40 :)
posted by Chuckles at 10:10 AM on January 19, 2007

Don't laugh, but I got my tongue stuck to a metal mailbox when I was a kid. I got it unstuck by wrapping my hands around the stuck area and blowing warm air. So, the "only way" assertion is clearly wrong.
posted by jknecht at 10:12 AM on January 19, 2007

On preview, that wasn't the question... you asked what story made that assertion. Oops.
posted by jknecht at 10:12 AM on January 19, 2007

I managed to get my tongue unstuck from the keyhole on a car door when I was about 8 by pulling. I didn't get to keep all my flesh and it hurt for a few weeks, but I didn't have to stay outside for hours waiting for someone to find me.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 11:46 AM on January 19, 2007

I remember seeing the father/son pee story in Harper's years ago. We're talking a decade easily.
posted by O9scar at 11:57 AM on January 19, 2007

Perhaps that's it, O9scar, though I can't be sure enough to check you off as the Best Answer.

I also had the vague thought that maybe it was part of a Garrison Keillor "Lake Wobegone" story or monologue.
posted by briank at 12:08 PM on January 19, 2007

Unbelieveable that no one has mentioned the famous scene in A Christmas Story. Well, there, I've mentioned it.
posted by LilBucner at 12:22 PM on January 19, 2007

I totally did that when i was little kid too. It hurt like HELL when i eventually ripped my tongue off. The thing that I can't figure out, for the life of me, is why the heck is it so appealing for kids to lick cold metal? I don't recall ever licking any other outdoor surfaces... and I have no idea why i licked that metal fence post... Seriously, does anyone know why kids do that?
posted by Kololo at 12:30 PM on January 19, 2007

Unbelieveable that no one has mentioned the famous scene in A Christmas Story. Well, there, I've mentioned it.

Er, that was the whole point of the post...the incident imitates what happened in that movie, and I'm trying to remember how the book differed from the film (if at all), or if it is some other story I am remembering instead.
posted by briank at 12:36 PM on January 19, 2007

The thing that I can't figure out, for the life of me, is why the heck is it so appealing for kids to lick cold metal?

When I did it, it was because the car was covered in frost and I decided that frost tasted good. Most of the car was also covered in paint, so I was safe until I got to the unpainted keyhole.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 12:50 PM on January 19, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

The thing that I can't figure out, for the life of me, is why the heck is it so appealing for kids to lick cold metal?

It's sort of like licking batteries: people talk about it, and dare each other to do it, and kids don't necessarily know/believe that's it's not such a hot idea.
posted by fogster at 1:57 PM on January 19, 2007

The Oregonian printed a blurb about that in its "Edge" section years ago - they said it happened in Alaska if I remember it correctly.
posted by concrete at 2:39 PM on January 19, 2007

"I don't recall ever licking any other outdoor surfaces... and I have no idea why i licked that metal fence post... Seriously, does anyone know why kids do that?"

No, but they do. (you tube)
posted by wsg at 5:29 PM on January 19, 2007

Children (and teenagers) aren't risk educable. They don't really believe anything is ever going to happen to them and they like to try things for the fun of the risk and just to see what will happen.
posted by orange swan at 6:19 PM on January 20, 2007

On an episode of "Rescue 911" (old 90s show), a kid got his tongue stuck to the freezer. I forget how it was resolved though. Probably not with pee.
posted by quoththeraven at 7:46 PM on January 20, 2007