Lucky for some

According to Norse myth, 12 gods were having a grand feast. The god of mischief, Loki, joined in as the uninvited 13th guest. It was bad enough to gate crash. He caused further discord by getting Hod, the blind god, to shoot Baldur, the god of joy. This resulted in the earth being plunged into darkness and sadness. Ever since, 13 has come to be associated with trouble. Quite a few people are unhappy with the number 13.

The fear of Friday stems from the fact that Christ was crucified on this day. There is also the belief that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit on Friday. When the 13th falls on a Friday, the combination strikes terror in the heart of even the bravest. It dates back to the 14th century when King Philip IV of France arrested Jacques de Molay, the grand master of the Knights Templar.

Numerous other knights were captured and killed on the same day. So Friday, the 13th, began to have an evil connotation.

Even in this day and age, there are several instances of by-passing the number 13. In Scotland, no airport has gate 13. There is 12, then 12B, thus avoiding 13. Lufthansa seating in airplanes goes from 12 to 14, skipping 13. Formula One has no car numbered 13.

Some feel Apollo 13 had to return to earth due to malfunction because it was launched at 13.13. Though other spacecraft have met with problems though they were numbered differently!

Certain socialites in France who called themselves Quatorziens (fourteeners) made themselves the 14th guest at dinner parties to ward off evil or bad luck.

Bill Gates of Microsoft lost the distinction of being the richest man in the world in the 13th year, according to some. The popular online game, Kingdom of Loathing is very particular about excluding the number 13 in all their programming.

Though there are many superstitions about the number 13, the beliefs have no logical explanations. I know a person who was born on Friday the 13th. He had led an exceptionally happy life. In fact, he if really fortune’s favourite. Incidentally, the fear of number 13 is known as triskaidekaphobia.