My mother had a friend who always chewed gum. Mom once said to me "Oh yes Mrs. O'Brien would die without her gum". I was about 6 at the time and believed Mrs. O'Brein had to chew gum to keep herself alive. I used to tell all my friends that she had a special disease and only chewinbg gum could keep her alive. I am embarassed to say how old I was before I realized my mother was only using an expression. (maybe 13)

Judy

When my granded died I thought he turned into a daffodil. He would buy me dresses in my dreams and I would search for them in the morning and be shocked that they weren't there. Sometimes I was scared of daffodils because I thought my grandad was angry that I had lost the dresses.

Anon

i used to believe that wen a sign in a shop said "all shop lifters will be prosicuted" it meant all shop lifters would be exicuted!

Paula fae Scotland!

When I was very young (around 7 or 8), I overheard a conversation by my parents and a few of their friends. Apparently, one of the friends had just gotten back from the funeral of a distant family member.

My father then laughed, "You know, sometimes they pop right back outta the ground after you throw dirt on 'em." and even though the others shared in his laughter, I was horrified.

Sabre

I had heard the story of the creation at Sunday School and how God took a rib from Adam to create Eve. My Grandad died soon after and by coincidence a new baby was born in the family about the same time, so I was convinced that God had been taking ribs out of Grandad and he died when he ran out of ribs!

Ruth

During my childhood days,I think that when people became dead ,there next birth will depend on the following
"When you are rich this time then the next time you will born as a poor person and vice versa"
and i dont know what will happen to the people like me , since I born in moddle class family

Prakash N Gandhi

My sister used to think that because I was 15 months older than her, I would die 15 months before her!

Nicola Braden

I have no idea how I came up with this, but as a for and five year old, I thought that when you died, your eyes didn't close all the way. I mean, they were 90% closed, but they were still a tiny bit open. I also remember thinking that death was less total than fainting, during which your wyes close all the way.

I'm not dead yet

when i was little(around grade 1 age) i used to think that if any stranger looked directly into my eyes they would die unless i blinked really fast 11 times.

Kelly

My cousins nan died not long ago and we had to explain why she had died and she demanded to know where she was. We told her she had gone to heaven which was in the sky. One day in the car she got all excited when she saw a plane and felt clever when she saidshe knew they going to heaven.

Jna (UK, 16)

After I learned to ride my bike I rode it all over the neiborhood. Unfortunetly my bike was not very good and the chain would often fall off. One day while riding down the street, my chain fell off. I was terrified because there was a car coming. I knew I was about to die. I closed my eyes and braced for impact. When I opened my eyes again the car was gone. I knew I had just died. I sat on the curb and started to cry. Finally one of my brothers started yelling for me to come home. I slowly walked home, wondering what they would say when they saw I was dead. When I got home, my brother asked why I was crying. I told him all about my death. He laughed at me, called me stupid and probably won't let me forget it until I actually do die.

George

My Grandad died when I was three, but my Nan used to tell me he was going to come back one day, so I used to write letters to God asking him to bring him back sooner cos I missed him.

Holly B

My sisters and I used to believe that when you would die you could turn in to an animal. My sister wanted to turn in to kitty cat i wanted to be a dog.

butthead Jones

When I was young my dad used to tell me that if I was very ill I needed to watch my left side. Because the Grim Reaper always comes to your left to claim you and if you see him, then he will run away instead. It's stupid, but for some reason I still look.

Angel

I used to believe that if you talk bad about someone who died then they come and haunt you.

Angel

I used to believe that when people died, they turned brown just like plants do when THEY die.

Joey Schwartzman

when i was little, i was at my great grandmothers house spending the night. i had asked her the night before if i could have a slice of grapefruit in the fridge for dessert, but she said no, it was for my great grandpa's breakfast.

the next morning he collapsed while eating it, and my mother later told me he died bc the grapefruit had torn through his throat and went floating around his body until it got to his heart and clogged it up.

i didnt realize until a few years ago though that he actually had died from a heart attack that had nothing to do with the grapefruit.

Anon

I believed that when my parents told me they had to go to a funeral and they were going to "calling hours", that they were in fact going to go and sit at a large conference table and answer the phone when people called. I was 22 when I realized the truth at the first funeral I attended.

Laura, New Bern, NC

I used to believe that if anyone offered you a ride, and you got in their car, bad things would happen to you and you would die. Even if it was your friend and her mom, insisting on giving you a ride as they drive alongside you as you walk all the way home.

Jennifer Volz

Me and my brother used to believe that when a person died, their spirit would become a seagull, and they would fly up and down the coast until everyone in their family was all right and ten they would fly away over the sea. We passed this belief onto my cousins as well.

Sammy