Illumination Writing Challenge
Why I Avoid the Number 13 At All Costs
It is clearly the unluckiest number
It all started on July 13, 2013. I had stayed up for 13 hours straight, binge watching the premiere season of Orange is the New Black on Netflix.
The 13th time I hit snooze on my alarm the next morning, it turned off and I overslept. I was running late, so I skipped brushing my teeth for the 13th day in a row. One of my molars was aching, and I hoped I wouldn’t have to have my 13th root canal (but I did need it).
By the time I got to Starbucks, there were already 13 people in line in front of me. By the time they made my drink they had run low on hazelnut flavoring, so I had to settle for only 13 pumps in my latte.
I had the stereo in my car cranked up to 13, and I was trying to dial my soon-to-be 13th ex-wife to negotiate custody of my 13th child; perhaps that is why I didn’t notice the school bus as I ignored the 13th stop sign (it was near where I was going, so I figured there was no reason to stop).
No need to go into details, but eventually the parents of all 13 kids on board the bus would file civil suit.
At the time, I figured that wouldn’t matter, because I was on my way to take my bar exam (13th try is the charm I always say), and I would be able to act as my own counsel at no cost. But all the commotion made me even later and threw off my concentration. I failed.
Apparently, they only let you take the exam 13 times before they reject your applications without reading them. It’s a shame too, because next time I was actually going to study.
So, after failing my exam, I went to the nearest bar and drank 13 beers. At one point, a tarot card reader came in and offered me a free reading. Of course, I got the one with the pale horse on it; the 13th card.
Undaunted, I strolled over to the mini mart. I figured by that point I was already 13 days late on my rent anyway, why not spend my last $13 dollars on scratch tickets?
I decided I better Uber home. With my bad luck I might get pulled over for drunk driving. I couldn’t afford my 13th traffic ticket, especially not a DUI. Thankfully Uber takes credit cards, I was pretty sure there was $1,300 bucks left before I maxed it out.
I tripped on the 13th step heading into my apartment and gashed my knee pretty bad. It would take 13 stitches to sew it up in the emergency room, and wouldn’t you know, the bill for that was $1,300?
I didn’t have any way to pay, plus my phone had only been at 13% when I got in the ambulance and was dead now, so I couldn’t call Uber again.
I shuffled the 13 miles back to my house. Thankfully, as I arrived, the clock struck midnight and the horrible 13th day of the month was over.
I can’t believe what terribly bad luck the number 13 brings to me; that is why I now avoid it at all costs!
It’s all in the numbers, isn’t it Holly Jahangiri, Rasheed Hooda, P.G. Barnett, Charles Roast, Charlotte Zobeir Ali, Terry Mansfield, Michele Thill, Sharon Hurley Hall, Amy Marley, Trista Ainsworth, Aurora Eliam, CMP and Sherry McGuinn?
If you like this, you might like some of my other recent writing, including my July daily roundup of writing challenges such as this one:
And a recent response prior to this challenge:
And a wrap up of June’s final week of new writer stories:
Timothy Key spent over 26 years in the fire service as a firefighter/paramedic and various fire chief management roles. He firmly believes that bad managers destroy more than companies, and good managers create a passion that is contagious. Compassion, grace and gratitude drive the world; or at least they should. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and join the mail list.
