Scat cat

Having just a handful of superstitions myself, mostly in the realm of lucky underwear, I try to be charitable toward those held by other people. Never put a hat on a bed, for example, because some people (particularly stunt performers) think it means that someone will die. Don't whistle in a theater or say "Macbeth" around actors (even though it is fun to see them freak out - they're actors, after all). But even my own superstitions come with the phrase "if you can help it" attached.

Even so, what I saw driving home from work yesterday amazed me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a little black cat with a fancy collar headed for the street. I kept on going since it hadn't even made it to the curb by the time I passed. The car in the oncoming lane slowed to a stop. They're going to let the cat cross, I thought. How thoughtful. When I glanced in my rearview, their reverse lights were on. Then the car backed up half a block and into a driveway, turned around and headed the other direction. Hope they weren't late for the movie or dinner or vespers or whatever.

Now that, my friends, is committment to a superstition. Cue the Stevie Wonder...