We just endured the first Friday the 13th of this year. The next Friday the 13th will be in October. Marion believes that Friday the 13th is a lucky day for her, so she bought a few lottery tickets. Hmm! I didn’t hear any whooping or other exclamations of joy. In fact, after checking her tickets she just shook her head.
I checked it out on Wikipedia and other Internet sources and learned that Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day. The date occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday. That happens at least once per year, and could occur up to three times a year. In 2017 it occurs twice, and there will be two Fridays per year up to and including the year 2020, whereas 2021 will just have one Friday the 13th.
Many people are fearful of the number 13 as they associate it with bad luck. The fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. With a name like that, no wonder people are afraid of the number. Many hotels, high-rise apartments and commercial buildings do not list a 13th floor! The floor descriptions jump from the 12th to the 14th! Deep down, however, you know you’re on the 13th floor when you step out of the elevator on the 14th, so you might still be scared spitless, especially when you enter the 14th office, which is actually the 13th, and the tax office with 13 staff! You’d probably just turn around and leave!
Fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevideatriaphobia.That’s a mouthful! What is the origin of both triskaidekaphobia and paraskevideatriaphobia you might ask? The superstition may have arisen in the Middle Ages, stemming from the story of Jesus’ last supper, immortalized by Leonardo da Vinci’s mural depicting Jesus and his 12 disciples for a total of 13 seated at the table on Maundy Thursday, followed by the Good Friday crucifixion.
There is no historical evidence that either the number 13 or Friday the 13th were considered unlucky prior to the 19th century. Although it has been suggested that the origin of the superstition may be from Friday, October 13, 1307, the date Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of the Knights Templar. The first written reference, however, occurs in Henry Sutherland Edwards’ 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini, who died on Friday the 13th, a day that Rossini had always regarded as unlucky. Many publications have contributed to the phobia, such as the 1955 historical novel The Iron King, penned by Maurice Druon, John J. Robinson’s 1989 novel Born in Blood and Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, to name a few.
Just some trivia:
- There were 13 seated at the round table, or 12 knights and King Arthur himself.
- A witches’ coven consists of 13 members.
- In Norse mythology, an honourary banquet was held in Valhalla honoring Baldur with 12 Norse gods seated at the table. Loki crashed the banquet as the 13th guest.
- It is believed that if there are 13 guests at a dinner party, then one of the guests will die within 12 months. It will be either the last guest to arrive or the first to leave.
- In the old west, there were 13 steps up to the gallows, and 13 coils in the hangman’s noose.
- Buckingham Palace was hit by five German bombs on Friday, September 13, 1940.
- A Chilean Air Force plane “disappeared” in the Andes on Friday, October 13, 1972.
- The Costa Concordia cruise ship ran aground on Friday, January 13, 2012.
And now for a couple of humorous stories.
Many years ago, when we had “personalized” milk service, the milkman saw a note pinned to one of his customer’s front door asking for 13 gallons of milk instead of the usual quart. He rang the doorbell and a young beautiful blonde woman answered the door.
“Excuse me madam,” said the milkman, “I’m sorry to bother you, but are you sure you want 13 gallons of milk?”
“Oh yes, definitely!” answered the blonde woman, “I’m going to treat myself to a milk bath for my skin!”
“Oh, OK,” said the milkman, “do you want it pasteurized?”
“No, just up to my neck would be great!”
Sven left work early on Friday the 13th. But instead of going home he squandered his paycheck playing poker with the boys. He finally arrived home drunk early Saturday morning. After some nagging and berating, his wife asked, "How would you like it if you didn't see me for a couple of days?”
"That would be just fine!" said Sven. Monday went by, and Sven didn't see his wife. Tuesday and Wednesday went by with the same result. But Thursday, the swelling went down a little bit and he could see her faint outline just out of the corner of his left eye.
Ole was an up-and-coming young executive and was about to leave the office late one evening when he ran into the CEO standing in front of the shredder with a piece of paper in his hand and a frown on his face. He was looking a little bewildered. The CEO stopped Ole, and with a worried expression said, “Ole, this is a very sensitive and important document, and my secretary has gone for the night. Do you know how this thingamajig works? Can you help me?”
“Absolutely sir, that will be no problem!” Ole grabbed the document and turned the machine on. He carefully inserted the paper and pressed the start button. “There you go!” said Ole.
“Thank you so much!” said the CEO. “I need 13 copies!”
