Triskaidekaphobia: The Fear of Friday the 13th
JACKSON, Tenn.- Well, it is Friday the 13th, hot on the heels of a full moon. So WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News wanted to know, how do some Jackson residents feel about this double whammy? If there is one day some West Tennesseans hate more than tax day—it is Friday the13th. “I don’t want to be out really, I’m ready to go back home,” said Charmaine Pugh. So why is the number 13 falling on what many would call the best day of the week really so bad? Some scientist say the omen of both the number and the day give us a tradition to hold onto in a fast pace world. “I believe in everything, Friday the 13th, step on the cracks, all that. I dont split poles, I don’t do nothing,” said Pugh. For most modern cultures these old wives tales come from grandma’s kitchen. “Back in the day, they use to say a lot of bad things would happen to you but I’ve outgrown all that,” said Tony Glenn. Now, well into the 21st century, some residents in the Hub City said it is time to embrace the “13”. “I’ve never been superstitious, I kinda like the number 13. I’m kinda drawn to it. I had a little sister born on Friday the 13th, so i kinda like the day myself,” said Lisa Holmes. “I’ve even walked under a ladder before and I kinda buck the system i guess.” Whether you live to avoid the spooky or take your chances, the mythical power behind Friday the13th does not seem to be going anywhere soon. This is the only Friday the 3th for this year. The last time a full moon fell on the same day was more than a decade ago.
