Friday, June 13, 2008

Paraskevidekatriaphobia

Happy Friday the Thirteenth!

The nearly unpronouncable word "paraskevidekatriaphobia" means "fear of Friday the 13th." In my family, 13 has always been lucky. One of my sisters was born on February 13 and my parents were married on June 13. When I was younger, I sometimes told people my parents had gotten married on a Friday the 13th, just to see the reaction.

Some people hold on to superstitions. When I was working at the vet clinic, one of the vets was out on medical leave for six weeks, so the schedule for surgeries became very backed up. In late April when people called to schedule a non-emergency surgery, I looked ahead in the computer and told them, "The earliest opening I have is . . . Friday the thirteenth." Most people chuckled, a little nervously perhaps, and agreed to schedule it for that day. But one woman was quite insistent that she would NOT schedule a surgery for that day.

I don't have any superstitions. And as most of you know, I think black cats are the best and luckiest of all cats. I really miss having a black cat.

My idea of a perfect Friday the 13th would be this: a black cat walking under a ladder, stepping on a crack in the sidewalk, and breaking a mirror.

What other superstitions can you add to this scenario?