TO BE ON SAFE SIDE, ORCHESTRA LEADER WILL SPEND THE DAY IN BED
Cleveland, Ohio (JFK+50) On Friday, August 13, 1926, Associated Press reports that Mr. Jim Wallace, a veteran orchestra leader, "is spending today in bed because it is Friday the 13th*."
This will not be the first time this has happened.
In fact, Mr. Wallace has spent every Friday the 13th over the past 25 years in bed. It all started, when he was arrested for speeding on Friday the 13th.
JFK+50 NOTE
On a Friday the 13th back in 1979, I took a day off from work to go on a short trip with my wife. We had just started out on the interstate from Knoxville bound for Asheville when I looked in my rear view mirror & saw a vehicle heading toward us at high speed. (At that time, the speed limit on the interstate was 55 mph which I was doing)
Driving in the center lane of a 3 lane highway, I turned my steering wheel left to avoid the vehicle but he hit the spare tire mounted on the right rear of our 1978 Ford Econoline van. The impact pushed us forward but I was able to stop. The vehicle that hit us went off the interstate & the driver was thrown out.
They found many bottles/cans of beer/liquor in his vehicle. We learned later that he did survive & was charged with drunk driving. We were able to drive our van back home but it was badly damaged and although repaired was never the same again.
From that day until my retirement in 2010, I never took a day off from work on a Friday the 13th or made any road trips on that date. I can very much relate to Mr. Wallace's desire "to be on the safe side."
*Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs at least once & up to three times in the same year. There are a variety of explanations on why the day is considered unlucky.
SOURCE
"Spends Day in Bed On Friday the 13th To Be on Safe Side," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., August 13, 1926, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
