John and the Penny

         

John woke up, and knew there was something he was forgetting. There was something he should know, but couldn't for the life of him bring to the fore of his consciousness. Rubbing his fingers over the reassuring softness of the white rabbit's foot by his bedside, he repelled the uncertainty from his mind. What could go wrong today?

John splashed some water on his face, then brushed his teeth. His mind became mostly alert, the minty freshness rejuvenating him. But still he couldn't pierce the fog to what was troubling him.

John entered the kitchen he shared with his roommate, and started toasting a few pieces of bread. Toast sounded just delicious this morning. Just the thing to start the day.

While waiting for the bread to toast, John had another thought come to his mind. If cleanliness won't do it, maybe some adrenaline will pierce the fog. John pulled one of the wooden chairs from the table and placed it next to the fridge, and jumped up onto it. He then jumped back down onto the linoleum of the kitchen, and repeated this act several times, feeling the wakefulness rush to his head.

On his seventh and final box jump onto the chair, his socks slid on the chair. Arms flailing, John nearly fell backward, but managed to grab hold of the fridge before it was too late. Stepping down to the floor, John took a look at the table that he surely would have hit his head upon had he not caught himself. That could have been fatal! Looking to where his hand still rested upon the fridge John noticed his four leaf clover half covered by his thumb. He brought the clover magnet to his lips, kissing his lucky savior. If it hadn't been for the clover on the fridge, I might have died here!

Clink! The toast popped up and John shoved his near death experience from his mind. He placed his toast upon a plate from the dish drying rack, turned a glass right side up while he was at it, and opened the fridge. It was a simple matter to locate the butter, but looking around John could not see the milk.

Damn! Thought John, Andy must have finished the milk. Today of all days. But why is today so special? John knew today was different from most other days, but he couldn't figure out why. Shrugging at the nagging feeling within his own mind, John buttered his toast, then put his shoes and a shirt on so he could walk to the gas station down the block and rectify the milk situation. Toast in one hand and keys in the other, John walked out the door and down the path to the sidewalk. This is good, thought John, smelling the air. Its going to rain soon, and the sooner it rains the sooner I'll be able to see a rainbow, which is always good luck!

Reaching the end of his walk John turned left to the gas station. Birds were chirping within the trees, and in a few places the sun peeked through the clouds. It might not last for too long, but it was a bright enough morning considering the past few days. John made his way easily down the block and walked within the store, the electronic bell dinging in his wake. John strode to the back, and halfway down the end aisle, coming at last to the milk. John opened the door and grabbed a half gallon of one percent milk, enjoying the cool breeze from the cooler.

His purpose for being here within his hand, John walked up to the front counter and placed the jug on the center, on top of the glass covering displaying all the various lottery tickets within. As Tarah, the old attendant came over to ring him up, John felt overcome with a good feeling. Today was a lucky day. “Hey Tarah, would you mind giving me one each of those Lucky Sevens, Aces High, and Honey Bee lottery tickets? I'm feeling lucky today.”

Tarah gave him a surprised look as she removed the tickets from below. “Today you're feeling lucky? Wow, John, I never would have thought. You always seemed one of the most superstitious guys, I thought you'd be staying inside safe from everything today.”

John felt a shadow crossing over his face as he gave Tarah a puzzled look, his hand going within his pocket to rub against the grey rabbits foot attached to his keychain. “Why do you say that?”

Tarah gave him an astonished look that clearly meant didn't you know, and then said “Well, today is Friday the thirteenth and all. I just thought that was bad luck for you and all.”

John knew his eyes widened to the size of saucers as the fog perpetrating his brain finally lifted. That was why he knew something was wrong today, why he nearly slipped and fell off the chair earlier, why there was no milk left. He silently paid for the milk and lottery tickets, not bothering to scratch them off here, but just in a hurry to get home. The tickets were probably losers anyway, bought on this cursed day. He shoved the tickets into his pocket and walked from the store, hurrying home.

Keeping his eye alert for anything dangerous, John was surprised when he noticed a shiny penny on the sidewalk. And it was face up too, that must be good luck! He stepped over and was about to pick it up when he noticed a black cat in the bushes and looked up at it. John and the cat gazed at each other in fear for a few moments, his hand inches from the penny. The cat hissed, and John jumped back in fear into the road.

Beep Beep!

Thunk.

Turns out that penny wasn't such good luck after all.