Silly Superstition!

Northland Age, Volume XVIII, Issue 41, 25 February 1949, Page 4

Silly Superstition!

MEANDERINGS OF “THE JAY”

Apparently the report our reporter made on a couple of chaps who were kicked by cows (four legged ones) on j the thirteenth of the month has caus- j ed some people to consider the aspect ol superstition being silly. Peisonally, I think they are right. Despite this belief, I defy any man to make me the third off a match. Not that there is anything in it, but still you neVer know, do you? But at least we have one reader who is not afraid to voice his views, and as he has written from a large city in support of his theory, I think it my bounden duty to print an excerpt of his letter which is relevant to this superstition bunk. He says : It was Black Friday a few months ago. Yes, Friday the thirteenth. Now, for the life of me I can’t see why people call it “Black Friday” and stress so much how unlucky the day is. It’s just like any other day, that’s what it is ; and to hold any other belief is just sheer, stupid superstition. To me. it was just a normal, ordinary working day. I rose at the usual time, but found that the electricity had failed. But that was just a fuse that had blown as I found out that night when I got home. This fact, of course, made it impossible to check my clock by the wireless, and on the whole it was all a pretty poor show, because I had forgo.ten to wind the clock the night before, and it had stopped. Bu; I would have been no more than a half hour late for work if it i hadn’t been for that woman on the I tram. The hour seemed a trifle late whilst I was having breakfast, so my wife . asked the time of the lady next door. The result of her inquiry caused me to step on it a bit and I cracked evens over the hundred to the tram stop. Now we get to that woman on the tram. My hurry to the tram and over the la.ter part of my breakfast caused me ; to leave home without any money or tram ticket, and after explaining the position to the tram conductor —who lock d very suspiciously at me, and took my name and address —I settled down to read my paper. This I found : to be the issue of the day previous, which I had grabbed in my haste. Such being the case, there was no i hope of hiding behind the sheet, so I T had perforce to see the lady who ; was standing beside me. In my usual gallant fashion I rose and offered her my seat. This she ! accepted with alacrity, in fact with | so much alacrity that she stepped on | the cuff er.d of my trousers, and as ! I pulled away the cuff was left under | her heel—or most of it. j She apologised nicely, and there I was a pleasant glimpse of humour in 1 her eyes, though I couldn’t see anything very funny at that moment. Straightening up the cuff of my trousers, or rather cutting the damn thing off, took some few minutes when I got off the tram at the city end, so that I was nearly an houi late for work. But I’m trying to point out that little mishaps like this could happer on any day. It doesn’t need to be Friday the thirteenth ! The day’s work went smoothly though I did have a few words or two occasions with the boss, whc seemed to think that there was £ hoodoo on the place owing to it be- ; ing Friday the thirteenth. Got quiti i i asty about it, too. when I laugher at him. One of the machines broke dow'n 1 11 admit, and it’s out of commissior until a new part can be brought ove: from Australia. But .that could hap pen on any day. Just sheer coinci dence. Then came the time all workinj men long for. Pay time. I opened my envelope, and on tak ing- out the odd silver which I neede< so badly ow'ing to being without stiver, 1 checked over the thin bundl of notes. There were two pounds short ! This w 7 as pretty hot. I reported the matter, and was tol that it would be rectified next pay day. I Feeling a bit sore about the mat ter, I went on with my job unt knock-off time. You see, nothing’s happened u till now to give credence to this Fri e day the thirteenth hooey. Then I went with my mates, an

we had our usual Friday night s two i ! drinks. No more, no less. ! Then the usual for the | tram. 1 was a bit unlucky here. I ; just had my foot on the top step j ■ when the “lady” in front of me turn- | ed and pushed me in the face with i I the flat of her hand. Nasty thing to do. I fell flat on my back in the middle | of the road, and in no time there was a crowd round me helping me up. I I was quite all right, but I had lost i my tram and knew that I must go j through all the mad scramble again. | I also have a shrewd idea that it was when all these Samaritans were 1 helping me after nl y nasty fall that I lost my pay envelops with my depleted earnings therein. It could have come out of my pocket by accident, but I have my doubts. | Then came just the normal ride home—if it can be called a ride. The calm walk from the tram stop | to my home, where I saw the wife waiting at the gate for me. She greeted me with the news that my eldest son had done something to the new lawnmower, and it will require some pounds spent on it to make it serviceable again. That is, of course, apt to happen at any time. She then told me that my youngest son had sliced his foot with the axe, end had been stitched up by the doctor. My young daughter had developed croup, and the dog had killed seven out of eight of my prize pullets. But all these little things can’t be blamed on to Friday the thirteenth. Over dinner, I recounted all the day’s happenings—as all you married ; men will be aware how wives insist [ on such—and at the end of my few 1 words, my better half reminded me t of the date. I scoffed at the idea, and reminded 3 HER that probably Friday th e thirt teenth was my LUCKY day. 5 In horrified surprise she asked me why. t I pointed out that had the cashier e not paid me two pounds short, I would •. have lost ALL my pay. As it stands e we are two pounds better off than we s woudl have been otherwise. Friday the Thirteenth. Pshaw ! e Piffle ! Stupid superstition ! e