Mother Nature’s popsicles

Watching out a tram window one evening, I saw a mother reach up to a bus shelter roof and break off a huge icicle, which she handed to her young daughter. The little girl promptly stuck it in her mouth and began to eat it like a popsicle. I found myself a little horrified.

Granted, there are far filthier places on earth from which to eat an icicle than a bus shelter roof. But still, pigeons sit there. Pigeon feet and other parts are all over that roof! Freezing doesn’t kill all the germs that boiling does, and the only way I’d put my mouth near anything that touched a bus shelter roof is if it was boiled.

But the girl snacked on it happily as her mother stared off into space, unconcerned. I guess you pick your battles at the end of the day, and chalk some up to boosted immunity.