Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th
Written by David M. Muench

I'm not usually a superstitious guy. I can walk under ladders without an iota of unease, if I spill salt I don't throw it over my shoulder (I just unscrew the lid and leave it for the next person), and if it seems that I'm avoiding a black cat out of superstitious absurdity, I'm not. I'm allergic to those feline fiends.

Needless to say I went into work yesterday with my usual "It's Payday Friday Mood;" totally oblivious that it was also the "Thirteenth." It just didn't click. Until a coworker confided to me, "dude, watch yourself today. It's Friday the 13th." I smirked and mocked, "what could possibly go wrong today?" while theatrically ducking an unseen threat; "Final Destination" style.

Thirty minutes later I noticed we were out of coffee, so I began to make more. I rinsed out the pot and the filter cup, popped in a new filter, put more water in the pot, put the filter cup back in place and poured the water into the machine. Did you notice a crucial step missing? Yep, yours truly had neglected to include the key ingredient: Coffee. Talk about extreme decaf. I playfully chided myself for my inattentiveness and blamed it on "Friday the 13th."

Later that day I also succeeded in bruising the ever-loving bejeezus out of my thigh; again placing full blame on the fact that it was "Friday the 13th."

The question I pose to myself is simple: "Would I have still done those things if I remained unaware that it was 'Friday the 13th'?" Did I subconsciously create those situations because of superstitious tomfoolery?

Or am I just a bumbling idiot that thinks too much?

I may never know.