Observant Musing-Hearse-Story
I am not a very superstitious person. At least I try not to be. I do try to find meaning where perhaps there is none, and take certain things as a “sign” of impending fortune, doom or indifference, but that’s not really superstitious is it?
Don’t get me wrong, I am not completely superstitious free. For instance, I feel uneasy when someone I am walking with inadvertently splits a pole, a tree, a post, or anything of the like. The consequences of not undoing the impending doom of splitting a pole are told to be dastardly for the youngest person in the group. It doesn’t matter whether it was done intentionally or inadvertently. So, I say “Bread and Butter” when it happens, and that is the cure-all that sets things back right again.
It wasn’t until a friend told me that it only matters if it’s a true pole, and if the pole is taller than the shortest person that I am walking with. Also, that person has to be walking side-by-side with you. It doesn’t count if they are a few steps ahead, and bad luck will not follow in that circumstance. I was able to relax a bit after hearing that bit of clarification. However, given all the variations of the stipulations and consequence, I say “Bread and Butter” anyway. Just to make sure that all remains well.
Then of course, I never pick-up a penny unless it is heads-up. To pick it up with the face down, is I am told, back luck. I just picked up that superstition about a year ago. I have another friend to thank for that.
I gave up trying not to step on cracks a long time ago. It's just too hard for someone who always tries to keep her head up to constantly be looking down.
I don’t have a fear of black cats crossing my path. One did so several years ago, and great fortune soon followed. I think I am pretty normal when it comes to superstitions. I try not to let them get the best of me.
That said though, I fear that I have created a superstition for myself. You see, yesterday, I was driving along singing to music on my way to a training. I was taking my time, doing 65mph in a 65 zone. I looked in front of me and realized that there was a hearse driving directly in front of me. The hearse was a new model, very sleek and economized. It looked very much like an SUV. It wasn’t until I noticed the typical scroll detailing on the back door, that I realized what it was. “Where did that come from?” I said, feeling a little unease stir within me.
I quickly changed lanes and sped up to get away from it. I noticed two men driving it, with what I am sure were very austere faces. Did they just look at me and grin sinisterly? I sped up some more. I was now going 75 mph. My eyes continually darted from the front window to the rear view mirror, checking the status of the other cars in front of me, and making sure the hearse was behind me.
The hearse changed lanes and was now behind me again! “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, I beseech you to get back!” I yelled inside my head. What was a hearse doing in the fast lane anyway? “Lordy!” What does this mean for me? I thought. I sped up some more until I was doing 80mph. I had quite a distance more to go until my exit. I knew that I couldn’t keep up that pace for fear of a cop pulling me over. I didn’t fear an accident as the road was fairly deserted. Just me a few other cars and the hearse.
“Go tail someone else!” I shouted to it. For the sake of my blood pressure, I had to put some distance between me and it. “Bring It On Home To Me” by Sam Cooke was playing on my IPOD. Was that a sign as in “Come on home to the Lord”? I wondered. I quickly scanned ahead to another song. “Tracy Chapman’s “Cold Feet” came on. “Shoot!!!!!” I scanned some more until, I found something I could live with. I finally settled on James Taylor’s “(I’ve Got to Stop) Thinkin' Bout That”. “Where is that hearse?” I said to myself.
I climbed a hill, which gave me the view that I needed to check the status of the hearse. Fortunately, it was well behind me and back to the slower lane -where it belonged. “Phew!” I said as I began to relax. I couldn’t be completely relaxed though, until I couldn’t see it anymore. I couldn’t be quite comfortable until I reached my destination (not my final destination to be clear).
My eyes continued to dart to the rear-view mirror. Suddenly, I became aware that I might have missed my exit, all the scenery looked the same and I was unfamiliar enough with my terrain, to say for sure. I did know one thing, and that was that I wasn’t going to turn off, turn around and be behind the hearse again. I kept going. As it turned out, I hadn’t missed my exit and I arrived safe and alive.
Ugh!!! Mondays! I laughed out loud to myself. Nervously.
I shall try to behave more grown-up about it, if I should be in close proximity to a hearse again. Superstitions aren’t real, and are only meant to scare and control people. There is no truth to them, and nothing dastardly will come of ignoring or of respecting them. Right? This I say as I knock on the wood of my desk…
Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!
Copyright 2006
Don’t get me wrong, I am not completely superstitious free. For instance, I feel uneasy when someone I am walking with inadvertently splits a pole, a tree, a post, or anything of the like. The consequences of not undoing the impending doom of splitting a pole are told to be dastardly for the youngest person in the group. It doesn’t matter whether it was done intentionally or inadvertently. So, I say “Bread and Butter” when it happens, and that is the cure-all that sets things back right again.
It wasn’t until a friend told me that it only matters if it’s a true pole, and if the pole is taller than the shortest person that I am walking with. Also, that person has to be walking side-by-side with you. It doesn’t count if they are a few steps ahead, and bad luck will not follow in that circumstance. I was able to relax a bit after hearing that bit of clarification. However, given all the variations of the stipulations and consequence, I say “Bread and Butter” anyway. Just to make sure that all remains well.
Then of course, I never pick-up a penny unless it is heads-up. To pick it up with the face down, is I am told, back luck. I just picked up that superstition about a year ago. I have another friend to thank for that.
I gave up trying not to step on cracks a long time ago. It's just too hard for someone who always tries to keep her head up to constantly be looking down.
I don’t have a fear of black cats crossing my path. One did so several years ago, and great fortune soon followed. I think I am pretty normal when it comes to superstitions. I try not to let them get the best of me.
That said though, I fear that I have created a superstition for myself. You see, yesterday, I was driving along singing to music on my way to a training. I was taking my time, doing 65mph in a 65 zone. I looked in front of me and realized that there was a hearse driving directly in front of me. The hearse was a new model, very sleek and economized. It looked very much like an SUV. It wasn’t until I noticed the typical scroll detailing on the back door, that I realized what it was. “Where did that come from?” I said, feeling a little unease stir within me.
I quickly changed lanes and sped up to get away from it. I noticed two men driving it, with what I am sure were very austere faces. Did they just look at me and grin sinisterly? I sped up some more. I was now going 75 mph. My eyes continually darted from the front window to the rear view mirror, checking the status of the other cars in front of me, and making sure the hearse was behind me.
The hearse changed lanes and was now behind me again! “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, I beseech you to get back!” I yelled inside my head. What was a hearse doing in the fast lane anyway? “Lordy!” What does this mean for me? I thought. I sped up some more until I was doing 80mph. I had quite a distance more to go until my exit. I knew that I couldn’t keep up that pace for fear of a cop pulling me over. I didn’t fear an accident as the road was fairly deserted. Just me a few other cars and the hearse.
“Go tail someone else!” I shouted to it. For the sake of my blood pressure, I had to put some distance between me and it. “Bring It On Home To Me” by Sam Cooke was playing on my IPOD. Was that a sign as in “Come on home to the Lord”? I wondered. I quickly scanned ahead to another song. “Tracy Chapman’s “Cold Feet” came on. “Shoot!!!!!” I scanned some more until, I found something I could live with. I finally settled on James Taylor’s “(I’ve Got to Stop) Thinkin' Bout That”. “Where is that hearse?” I said to myself.
I climbed a hill, which gave me the view that I needed to check the status of the hearse. Fortunately, it was well behind me and back to the slower lane -where it belonged. “Phew!” I said as I began to relax. I couldn’t be completely relaxed though, until I couldn’t see it anymore. I couldn’t be quite comfortable until I reached my destination (not my final destination to be clear).
My eyes continued to dart to the rear-view mirror. Suddenly, I became aware that I might have missed my exit, all the scenery looked the same and I was unfamiliar enough with my terrain, to say for sure. I did know one thing, and that was that I wasn’t going to turn off, turn around and be behind the hearse again. I kept going. As it turned out, I hadn’t missed my exit and I arrived safe and alive.
Ugh!!! Mondays! I laughed out loud to myself. Nervously.
I shall try to behave more grown-up about it, if I should be in close proximity to a hearse again. Superstitions aren’t real, and are only meant to scare and control people. There is no truth to them, and nothing dastardly will come of ignoring or of respecting them. Right? This I say as I knock on the wood of my desk…
Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!
Copyright 2006
posted by Naylene at 8:22 AM
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