I am the Nexus.

I'm not superstitious, or I shouldn't be. My parents have always taught me that superstition was against our religion. Still, an awful lot of rare things happen to me that my luck has long since crossed beyond questioning coincidences. Every once in a while, a series of unlikely occurrences make me wonder if improbability is in fact my mutant ability.

Take tonight, for example. I exited my office building a little after 7:30, and made my way up the front steps to the nearly empty parking lot. A shadow moved, and I saw a small cat which I called out to. The frightened creature scurried down the sidewalk across my path, and as I watched him disappear into the night it occurred to me that a BLACK CAT had just bisected my routine trek. But I'm not superstitious.

I stopped off at the supermarket on the way home. When it came time to check out, I noted that the sign for the express lane said “12 items or less”. I was certain I had less, and as I unloaded counted to (of course™) 13. ”Triskaidekaphobia” isn't a word I've uttered since fifth grade, when I was trying to sound smart to impress a female friend, and I wasn't about to speak it again. All went well despite the unlucky number, and the cashier gave me no trouble for being one over. I checked both my bags thoroughly and noted a third bag on the turnstile that I nearly left. As I made my way outside I thought I heard shouting behind me. When I made my way past the store window the cashier was banging on the glass and held up a plastic bag. Item 13, an Easter card for my parents, had been given it's own bag apart from the other 12 items, and had been easily overlooked.

After dinner my dad hinted that my mom had hidden a small apple pie somewhere. The years have taught her that with my lack of self-control it's necessary to conceal dessert so I don't spoil my dinner. I decided to look for it, checking the usual drawers where pies have been found in the past. For some reason I opened the cabinets over the stove, a place pies have never been found, and a metal lid from a spaghetti pot rolled out, bounced off my head, and landed on the floor.

I'm still not superstitious, but if aliens destroy my blog tomorrow, I wouldn't be all that much surprised.