The Popcorn Stand: Thank goodness its the 14th

Another Friday the 13th has come and gone so those who are afraid of Friday the 13th can breathe a sigh of relief.

And when I mean people are afraid of Friday the 13th I mean their actually afraid of Friday the 13th — the date. It’s so bad in this country, an estimated 20 million people suffer from this ailment and basically refuse to do anything on Friday the 13th.

So much so it costs this nation’s economy close to $1 billion. And there’s actually a term for those who are afraid of Friday the 13th although I think somebody just stuck a bunch of letters together and made this up: friggatristaidekaphobia. To me that’s a friggin warped term.

But it’s real. I understand the frigga part which comes from the Norse goddess named after Friday. But triskaidekaphobia is a term for the fear of 13. Who in the world came up with that word and how did they come up with it? I guess friggathirteenphobia made too much sense.

And I’d hate to think if somebody would actually come up with a term for those who are really afraid of October, Friday the 13th. I’m sure there’s some nonsensical word for October.

Never been that afraid of Friday the 13th, the movie, date or otherwise. Now if Nicholas Cage was in a Friday the 13th movie, maybe it would be different. (We use any excuse we can to use a meaningless Nicholas Cage reference).

I remember one time being at a neighbor’s birthday party where we watched Friday the 13th and then I walked across the street back to my house late at night with no fear at all except for the fact I realized that was about two hours of my life I would never get back again.

Thank goodness it’s Saturday the 14th.

— Charles Whisnand