(Photo by Gemnaika)
IT IS THE BREAK OF DAWN as i post this entry. It is so calm and peaceful all around me, despite the fact that it’s Friday the 13th.
I wonder, as I sip from my coffee mug… why do people fuss so much about Friday the 13th…When I was in college, I had this unforgettable experience about this dreaded day. I was on my second year at the UP campus in cold Baguio City (country’s summer capital). My classes then were only from Mondays thru Thursdays, and I would regularly go home on Fridays to spend weekends with my family. Actually, it was a requirement from my parents… (lol), so I had no choice but go down home while I envied my dorm mates who would go to gimmicks on Friday or Saturday nights.One particular Friday, my roommates convinced me to put off my trip home for the following day. “Sure you won’t want to travel on Friday the 13th, you could have bad luck”… I remember them saying. Um…okay, their banters did work well so I called to inform my parents that I won’t be home till Saturday morning.
Well, that Friday the 13th wasn’t at all horrible. I went to a late night movie with my roomies and - boy, did I enjoy some degree of freedom!
Next morning, I dragged my bag to the bus station, queued for my ticket and took my favorite seat near the driver’s. I was carrying an old fashioned overnight bag - one of those Samsonite types, with hard casing and all, and since I wanted to have more leg room, I decided to place it in the luggage compartment overhead.
When going up to or down from Baguio, the worst part of the road would always be the zigzag where the driver would have to maneuver the bus in Z patterns - literally! Now, that’s truly dizzying. I tried to remain as comfortable in my seat as possible, although several times I was nearly knocked off as the driver managed the sharp curves.
Then it came to be. We were on that steep portion of Kennon Road where the Mighty Lion found a land mark, and where tourists would usually stop for some picture taking on the concrete mane of the lifeless but imposing lion head. Another bus on its way up was painstakingly straining itself through the slope, and it appeared the driver was hardly in control. Our driver figured we might have a head on collision with that bus, so he immediately shifted gear and turned the steering wheel to almost almost 180 degrees that nearly made us hit the rocky mountainside. My fellow passengers were in panic, some of them were screaming. I saw luggage along the aisle going in all directions… then…. BOG! OUCH! something hard hit my head… and I suddenly saw stars… (even the moon, I guess…) Ohhh….the overnight bag fell from the overhead compartment and landed directly on me!
So there you go… Friday the 13th or not… when ill fate comes, it comes.
(Reposted: January 13, 2006 entry)
Apr
13
Filed under: Personal
Fridays are hailed as a particularly significant day in the Christian tradition. Obviously, there is Good Friday, the day Jesus Christ was crucified. But according to Christian lore, Adam and Eve also supposedly ate the forbidden fruit on a Friday, the Great Flood started on a Friday, the builders of the Tower of Babel were tongue-tied on a Friday and the Temple of Solomon was destroyed on a Friday.
In addition to the legendary significance of Fridays, the sixth day of the week also was execution day in ancient Rome and later Hangman’s Day in Britain.
Both the Hindus and Vikings reportedly had a myth in which 12 gods were invited to a gathering and Loki, the god of mischief, crashed the party and incited a riot. Tradition in both cultures holds that 13 people at a dinner party is bad luck and will end in the death of the party-goers.
Following in that vein, the Last Supper in Christian tradition hosted 13 people and one betrayed Christ, resulting in the crucifixion.
The number 13 also has been associated with death in other cultures. The ancient Egyptians, for example, believed life unfolded in 12 stages, and the 13th stage was death.
Finally the number 13 may have an unlucky connotation because of its association with the lunar calendar (there are 13 lunar cycles in a year) and with femininity (women have 13 menstrual cycles in a year).
Enjoy your day but you might want to stay at home and read a horror story in bed !
Thanks for the exhaustive comment, Sidney!
Wait a minute, though… why would femininity have unlucky connotation? Hmmm…..
If we heed to all the local superstitious beliefs, we’d probably just end up staying home. But then again, planes and helicopters are know to crash land on rooftops … hehehe.
Just a thought: I noticed most local store openings occur on Fridays; not necessarily on the 13th, but just Fridays.
Right you are, Eric. I myself do not believe in these bad lucks, Friday the 13th’s and other unfounded beliefs.
Perhaps, the reason why most local store openings occur on Fridays is that it’s almost into the weekend, and people during this time are in either shopping or leisure mode. Hence, these stores will more likely attract a bigger crowd.
I don’t believe in “Friday the 13th” I think most are just scared because of the movies they made long time ago about that day hehe
Anyway it’s my niece’s birthday today and we’re gonna pig out later..hopefully I will not choke or something hehe
Happy Birthday to your niece, Verns! Like you, I don’t believe in Friday the 13th. As I said, when ill fate comes, it comes, Friday the 13th or not!
Dahan dahan lang sa pagkain.. ang figure, ang figure..
Like you, I can be overly superstitutious with the daye Friday the 13th that i would be a little bit more cautious on this day. Glad you reminded me of that because i had no idea hours ago. Matagal na yata akong hindi tumitingin sa kalendaryo.
Friday the 13th? So far the worst thing that happened to me on this day was that I had to attend one boring meeting after another…
Major Tom, parang hindi mo bagay maging superstitious.. hehehe…
Snglguy, well, that is bad luck enough! haha!
I hold my breath every time the car turns that steep bend towards the Lion’s head…
Weird things happened to us on the way down from Baguio along Kenon, but it was sat, not fri the 13th anymore… I guess tama nga, 13th or not 13th! I’m just thankful we got home safe and sound.