Friday the 13th

A long time friend once told me that his father made it a point to play in the casino every Friday the 13th. He said that this was his good luck day because apparently, his father won big amounts of money on these dates. His dad figured that since everyone believed Friday the 13th was unlucky, he would gather all the luck of that day.

Triskaidekaphobia is what the fear of the number 13 is called. According to popular belief, the number 13 is unlucky because early Romans believed it was a sign of death and destruction. The Bible also gives allusions to 13 being an ill-fated number. In the four canonical gospels of the New Testament, 13 men gathered in the room where the Last Supper took place. There were the 12 disciples (inclusive of Judas Iscariot) and there was Jesus, the 13th man in the group. We all know what happened.

People in general avoid having anything to do with the number 13. There is no 13th floor on some high-rise buildings; no 13th row in some ships and airplanes, and no room number 13 in some hotels. Those who believe in the number 13’s ill fortune will never travel on the 13th of any month, and some will invite a 14th guest to a dinner party or casual get together on purpose just to avoid a party consisting of 13 guests. If there are 13 guests seated at a dinner, it is believed that one of them will die within the year.

Superstitions about Friday being an unlucky day go back to ancient times. Friday was the day when executions took place. Sacrifices, possibly human, made to the Norse goddess Friga or Freyja, were also made on this day.

In the Philippines, it is common belief that the powers of the mangkukulam or witch doctor are most powerful on Fridays. If Good Friday happens to fall on a Friday the 13th, the powers of witches who take baths on this day are amplified.

It seems silly to believe the scourge of Friday the 13th. Like my mom always says, "There is no such thing as bad luck. God wouldn’t create anything that is malas." However, sometimes, it seems prudent to play it safe. If people are nervous about Friday the 13th, sometimes they get skittish and their attention is focused on that day as a "bad luck day." They fail to concentrate on what they are doing and this is a bad thing if they are driving because they are bound to get into accidents.

Personally, I don’t believe in the ill-starred Friday the 13th. There are some good things about the number 13. Take for example the baker’s dozen where an extra piece of bread or pastry is thrown in for good measure. A couple of friends were born on the 13th and they are good, decent people whom anyone would be lucky to know. Friday is usually a good day because it is the end of the week and is "party day"– "Thank God, it’s Friday!"

However, although I’m not convinced that Friday the 13th is an unfortunate day, I must admit that today is a sad day for me though. A year ago, after 10 days in coma, my dad slipped away. August 13 last year happened on a Wednesday, not a Friday. From the start of August, all of my family have been dreaming about my dad. The latest dream was that he was sitting in his favorite chair, rocking contentedly. He’s happy where he is. I think it’s his way of telling us that he’s still around. He’s still constantly looking out for us, and because of that, even today, Friday the 13th, is our lucky day.