When you hear an implausible story these days, you're likely to call it an urban myth.

Like children being kidnapped at Disneyland. Or giant albino alligators in New York City's underground sewers. Or kidney thieves. Just doesn't happen.

Back in my teenage years, I heard of another kind of myth from a friend which seemed worth exploring.

He revealed a strange secret in my hometown of Auckland, our biggest city, on the main shopping road known as Queen Street...