Stories from the Library – Duckie & Friday the 13th

“My path in life has always been a little different. I have always been told I march to the beat of a drummer no one else has ever heard. I used to try to fit in, but I never quite did. I have always loved traditions and lore because it showed me that perhaps everyone was also struggling to fit in. They built these constructs to give them structure. The idea of luck and making your own is part of that. Friday the 13th is one of those constructs. To some it is a very unlucky day. My mother is one of those who honestly believes in its unlucky qualities. When I was a child, she would tell me about black cats, broken mirrors, and ladders. These stories were fascinating. I was a single mother trying my best to figure out my path when I got my first Friday the 13th tattoo. A friend of mine was a tattoo artist and she told me of the tradition to get a thirteen tattoo. Sailors thought if they got a thirteen tattoo on them it would keep them safe from bad luck. Many tattoo shops have specials on Friday the 13th. I have a total of eight of the Friday the 13th tattoos. Although the first one was inverted. I picked a cute little shark but I wanted the tattoo placed on the opposite side than he was intended and they premade the stencil so they can move through clients quickly during the day and his thirteen became a 31 I suppose. I took hold of these traditions and have made them into the luck I want. I took this to heart and when I got married the date, we chose was January 13th and it was of course a Friday. For me. at least. traditions helped me make my own luck and embrace my individuality.”