Friday, September 23, 2016

Friday The 13th


Recently we were supposed to celebrate Defy Superstition Day. This was brought to my attention by my online friend John At Reflections. If you click on the link you will see his post on the subject.

I am fascinated by superstitions. I sort of collect them for my own amusement.

My family has a Friday the 13th superstition all our own. My mother had a terrible (but funny) day and we never let her live it down. Let me tell you all about it.

My aunt and uncles went to school in a one room schoolhouse in the country. On the last day of school there was a picnic and we always went. The more the merrier, you know. This year it was held on Friday, the 13th.

We set out for the picnic with Mom at the wheel. Daddy had to work. Mom was running late as usual so she was driving a bit faster than she should have. She came to the top of a hill and saw the police car at the bottom. Instead of slowing down she panicked and stopped. When she restarted and drove down the hill she was pulled over. Luckily the cop recognized the car. Daddy was the town marshal and worked with the state police on occasion. Mom received a warning to be more careful and we went on our way.

The car was low on gas so Mom pulled in to a station along the highway. In the 1950's the pumps often had big glass globes on the top with the name of the gasoline company on them. They were pretty. When Mom pulled in for gas she realized that she was too far away from the pump. She pulled forward a bit and then backed up a bit closer... whoops! a little too close.She bumped the pump. That beautiful glass globe began to wobble, wobble, wobble, wobble... it seemed to be slowing and coming to a stop. Whew. Then it just fell right off and smashed into millions of pieces.

The man at the station was very kind. Of course we did not have to pay for it; it happens all the time. (Right!) We got our 2 dollars worth of gas. That filled it up then. And we were off again.

We turned off the highway to the county road on the way to the picnic. We were merrily driving along and Mom missed the turn onto the next county road that led to the school. Not to worry... she just backed up so she would be in position to turn. Somehow we ended up in the ditch. Some of the ditches in Nebraska were like valleys. We were rear end down with the nose of the car pointing up. Now what was she to do?

Here we were with a car full of children sitting in a deep ditch with no chance she could drive it out. As luck would have it a neighboring farmer came by on his tractor. Mom waved him down and he of course was happy to help. He was so happy to help that he could not stop laughing as he hooked the chain up to the car and his tractor. Laughing as he had Mom steer the car while his tractor strained to pull us out of that ditch. He was so happy when we were completely clear of the ditch that he kept laughing. Mom had made him so happy that he was still laughing as he drove off.

Off we went again. Mom successfully made the turn. Believe it or not we made it safely to the picnic. Of course we were extremely late but there were still a few games left to be played. After that Friday, the 13th, was a day that we no longer let Mom drive. As a matter of fact we would not even let her in the car.

This is the way many superstitions start. Got any of your own?


20 comments:

  1. Emma, this was a wonderful story for the Friday the 13th superstition!!!
    You told it so vividly, that I could picture it in my mind and felt that I was there with you all on this adventure!
    Thank you for sharing this memory with us...it was delightful~

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    1. I learned from my mother that we are never really lost... we are just on an adventure. She had no sense of direction so we went on many adventures.

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  2. Lol. You created wonderful images. I laughed out loud at the image of all the kids and the car in the ditch. So much for seat belts. Your poor mother.

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    1. I was only about 9 or 10 years old when this happened but I still have a vivid memory of that farmer shaking his head. He was probably thinking, "Women drivers."

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  3. Replies
    1. She had a lot of them. For someone so intelligent she certainly had her moments.

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  4. I wondered if anyone said, "How are you today?" and what she answered.Moms always had to be flexible with a lot of kids in tow.Mine hardly drove, so when she did it might be a thrill ride.

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    1. It does make you wonder. My mother juggled everything so well. And then there were days like this.

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  5. I think a day like that would have made me superstitious too :)

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    1. It was a funny day and a funny story to retell every Friday the 13th. Besides how often can you find something to tease your mother about?

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  6. That was a very funny story. Thanks for mentioning my blog.
    Enjoy the weekend!

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    1. I love your blog and hope people take the opportunity to visit you.

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  7. It sounds more like the adventure of Alice.

    Oh, your mom might be one of the Alice.

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    1. I do believe you have stumbled onto something. Good call.

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  8. Hello Emma, greetings and good wishes.

    I enjoyed the post and the blunders of your mummy made me laugh. But falling in the ditch made me scared. Your mummy is a very brave woman.
    To me Friday, the 13th is not a good day. So many disasters happened on that day. In India, a cinema hall caught fire on that day and more than fifty people were burnt alive.

    Thank you for these wonderful stories picked up from your life.

    Best wishes

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    1. The fire that took so many lives in such a tortuous way is heartbreaking. I am glad I could provide some humor. My belief is that laughter is good for your innards and if your innards are good the rest of you will also be good.

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  9. Hello Emma,

    I just now noticed your profile photo. The young girl has grown up to be a lovely young lady.

    Best wishes

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    1. That is my high school graduation picture. "I am ever so much older that twenty" to quote Wendy when Peter Pan came for her again. Thank you for the lovely compliment.

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  10. While I don't have any superstitions that come to mind, Emma, I was amused by reading this post on your mother's adventures on Friday the 13th. Yet it seemed to me to be just a series of mis-adventures rather than anything really terrible befalling her or anyone else. And, it seemed to give everyone more of a happy memory than anything terrible, which is all good. And I also concur that your profile photo is lovely.

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    1. Mom was a character and she did not even know it. someone once told me that she was like this smooth flowing stream that was permanent and ever-present but also that she was strong. She was the strength of our family for sure.

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