I had a friend who said something one day when we were in college that kind of blew my mind.
Someone referred to a celebrity as a “primadonna”, meaning someone who has a huge ego and is really impressed with themself.
My friend said he thought that term meant someone who was around “pre-Madonna.” Like the singer…
Hmmm…well, let’s just say we all had a good laugh at that one.
AskReddit users admitted what basic facts they learned WAY too late in life.
Let’s see what they had to say.
1. Ohhhh…
“I was 23 when I learned I was allergic to apples.
Someone was complaining about their throat closing up after s**king, and I responded with “oh yeah like when you eat an apple?”
You can imagine how the conversation went from there.”
2. A great drink.
“In my mid 20s I moved up the food chain from server to bartender at the restaurant I worked at. Someone ordered a Roman Coke. I didn’t know what was in a Roman Coke so I told him so and but that I would figure it out.
I figured out that what I had been understanding as a Roman Coke my whole drinking life, was in fact a Rum & Coke…that, I knew how to make!”
3. Oops.
“I’m from Pennsylvania. When they do the nightly lottery drawings on TV, they always add a reminder at the end: “Benefits Older Pennsylvanians Every Day!”
So, naturally, I just assumed that a lot of elderly people won the lottery. When I was a teen I made a joke to my dad about him turning 50 and having a better shot at winning the lottery, and he looked at me like I was nuts.
Turns out that “Benefits Older Pennsylvanians Every Day!” means that the lottery is a fundraiser for senior services, and here I was thinking that it meant Grandma was winning millions on her scratch-offs.”
4. From beyond!
“Space heaters are so named because they heat a room (a space), not because they look like futuristic devices from outer space.”
5. Good one, Mom!
“My mom used to tell me the car doesn’t start if the seatbelts aren’t buckled.
I didn’t know that wasn’t a real feature until I was 22.”
6. More lying moms…
“My mother told me that if you swallowed gum it would stick to your ribs.
I was in my second year of college in an Anatomy class when it hit me that this isn’t true.”
7. This is great!
“It took me an embarrassingly long time before I realized that when a movie had a blurb from Rolling Stone…it wasn’t The Rolling Stones reviewing it.”
8. Like unicorns, right?
“Reindeer are a real animal. When I found out about Father Christmas I thought that meant reindeer weren’t real.
I was very much an adult when I was very confused (and excited) to see one in real life.”
9. Don’t say that!
“When I was young, I found a Doobie bBrothers CD at a relative’s house.
I asked my mom what a Doobie was.
She said it’s a lady’s private parts and to never say it.
I was 17 before I saw someone call a joint a Doobie.”
10. Urban legend.
“There’s no chemical in the pool that reveals pee.
A buddy and I were talking about it and we both realized at the same time that nether of us have actually SEEN it.
We looked it up and felt dumb as hell.”
11. Billy goat.
“Ok so I grew up on a small farm.
We had cows, chickens, pig, rabbits and goats and more. On occasion we had to shear the goats, the goats would hold very still when being sheared. Like statue still. I saw this on pretty regular occasion.
When my parents would take me to get a hair cut they would tell the barber to give me a billy goat cut. Of course to me this meant hold really still, so I did. Had the same barber for a loooong time.
Eventually he passed when I was in high school. Leaving me to find a new barber. Imagine my and the new barbers surprise when he said “how do you want it cut” and I said I just want a normal billy goat cut….
This is one of those things that makes me cringe at night.”
12. Awkward!
“That Apollo 13 was an actual event and not just a movie starring Tom Hanks.
Would have been embarrassing in any context but all the more so when I was working with Cpt. James Lovell and asked him why he was signing new paperbacks of Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks on the cover, “Oh, did you work on that movie?” I asked. Beyond awkward.
We had an hour’s drive together and so after he patiently explained that he was on that mission and as I had not seen the movie, I asked if he would tell me the story. He laughed and agreed, “Ok! I’ve never met anyone who didn’t think they already knew the story…”
Hearing him tell it to me was riveting (and special) . 25 years later I still cringe but it was one of the best days in my life. He is truly an amazing human.”
13. Pretty confusing.
“The song “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” is not about creepy infidelity, but rather, hinges on the fact that dads sometimes dress up as Santa.
Which I realized in my 20s when I brought it up with my Catholic roommate.”
Have you ever learned any basic facts embarrassingly late in life?
If so, please share them with us in the comments.
Thanks a lot!
