therealljidol prompt 2 800 words

[murielle]

 therealljidol Prompt 2: Sankofa

 

Breaking Things

 

 

7.

 

“Pick that up. Throw it over your shoulder. Your left shoulder. You must always do that if you spill salt. Always.”

 

And I always did. Even now, years since I last observed that superstition, when I spill salt I have an instant of panic. But I don’t do it.

 

6.

 

“Not that one, dear. This one.”

 

“Why?”

 

“That one is unlucky.”

 

“It is?”

 

“See how it’s turned, with the open ends of the horseshoe at the bottom and the closed end at the top? All the luck will run out. But this one has the open ends at the top and the closed end at the bottom so it will hold the luck inside for you.”

 

I cannot recall the last time I had anything with a horseshoe on it, right-side up or upside down. Sometimes change just happens.

 

5.

 

“Well, thank you very much, clumsy child. Now we’ll have bad luck for the next seven years.”

 

I was so careful with mirrors. Who wants bad luck, right? And for seven whole years. As a little girl seven years was almost my whole life, an eternity.

 

I’ve broken mirrors since and I do think about the bad luck, but seven years goes by so fast now what’s the difference? It’s not like my life has been full of good luck anyway.

 

4.

 

“Never hand someone a knife or scissors with the sharp ends pointing toward them. Turn them so they’re pointing at yourself.”

 

“Why?”

 

“It’s the polite thing to do, and the safe way to do it. There’s a deeper meaning too.”

 

“What’s that?”

 

“To point the business end of a knife is like pointing a sword at someone. A threat. And, if you ever give someone a knife, or something sharp, even a sewing needle, they must cross your palm with silver.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. That way, they’re buying the sharp object and it’s a peaceful exchange.”

 

“Be careful when you’re handling knives.”

 

“Because you could cut yourself.”

 

“Yes! Clever girl. But also because if you drop it, it means a man will come to the door.”

 

“That’s bad?”

 

“Most of the time, yes. And if you give someone a purse or a wallet you must put a coin in it.”

 

“But purses aren’t sharp!”

 

“No, but by putting money in the gift you’re wishing they will always have money in their purse.”

 

Such a lot to take in, such a lot to let go of when it was time.

 

3.

 

“Now, there are certain things we never keep in our homes. Do you know why?”

 

“No.”

 

“They are bad luck for our family. Very bad. We don’t have photographs of them, or figurines of them. Bad, bad luck.”

 

“Which ones, Granny?”

 

“Roosters, peacocks, and Elephants. They are all bad, but the Elephants are the worst. They bring death.”

 

And they did according to our family lore.

 

First my grandfather was given a little ebony elephant and he died. Then I forgot all about the curse and gave my granny an onyx one and she died, and afterward our neighbor, Mother’s best friend, asked for the elephants as keepsakes and was given them and she died.

 

I believed.

 

Decades later I saw a dress on eBay I wanted. It was gorgeous, but I couldn’t bring myself to buy it because it had elephants on it. One night I opened up my cupboard and saw a little gray elephant sitting on one of the shelves. It was a pie funnel my mother gave me when I started baking steak pies. She had it for years, then I had for years. The dress was still on eBay and I bought it and I still wear it and love it.

 

2.

 

When pictures fell off the wall, or birds flew in the window, Mom and Granny would fret. Both were harbingers of death. It never made sense to me. Maybe a big lorry went by and made the pictures fall, and birds can’t help it if they fly into your house. They’re not that bright.

 

The world seemed full of bad omens.

 

“Step on a crack and break your mother’s back.”

 

Who came up with these things? Mind you, I tested that one. Wasn’t true. Trust me.

 

1.

 

“No matter what happens, no matter what is said or done, you never, ever, ever talk to anyone about what happens at home. Do you understand? Never. Ever.”

 

I’m still working on that one. After years, decades, of counseling there are some things I will never say, or write, or tell. Never. Ever. Ever.

 

 

(1^st Corinthians: 13:11

“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[muchtooarrogant]

Number three was a shock to me because I had always understood elephants to represent good luck in many cultures around the world.

This made me smile:
“Yes! Clever girl. But also because if you drop it, it means a man will come to the door.”
“That’s bad?”

I liked that you used numbers counting down throughout the piece, and I couldn't wait to see what number one was.

Thanks for sharing this.

Dan

[murielle]

Thank you so much, Dan!

Our family had some strange superstitions. Number three was passed down through a few generations and I understood it to be just a family thing.

And the cutlery? Oh yeah, men coming to the door was never good. ;-)

Again, thank you.

[mollywheezy]

I heard all of these as a child, except the one about roosters and peacocks and elephants. I also tested the one about stepping on a crack. ;)

[murielle]

Thank you so much for commenting!

I'm fairly sure that the roosters, peacocks, and elephants were a family superstition and didn't go beyond our little clan. If I recall correctly, it seems to have started with my great-grandmother.

I wonder how many of us tested the stepping on a crack one and how many would admit it. ;-)

[mollywheezy]

I wouldn't admit stepping on a crack to my mother . . . ;)

[murielle]

I'm pretty sure I never did that either. LOL!

[adoptedwriter]

Interesting! I'd heard the opposite about roosters and elephants. Funny how different cultures have their own ideas about luck.

[murielle]

These three things were considered bad luck for our family...“They are bad luck for our family..." I believe it may have started with my great-grandmother. In this case, not cultural, though most of the other things were. :-)

Thank you so much for commenting! Always means so much to hear from you.

[n3m3sis43]

That ending, though. I hear you. I really enjoyed this piece and I hope your process of unlearning continues to be fruitful.

[murielle]

Thank you so much!

Me too!

[fausts_dream]

I thought this was a fun little entry about superstitions...my mom shared the salt shaker one and knives must be purchased never given as a gift even if it was just a penny.

Then the piece takes a darker turn at the end. Powerful as usual.

[murielle]

Thank you SO much! <3

[nicholewithanh]

Interesting! My family has a superstition that keeping a rooster figurine in your kitchen is good luck and we've all always kept elephant things in the home as well. Funny how superstitions differ from house to house!

[murielle]

Yes! One or three people have a bad experience and if that's your way of dealing with things a whole culture builds around it.

Thank you for reading, commenting, and understanding. <3

[halfshellvenus]

I'd never heard about any superstitions regarding elephants before this! But I also grew up in a household that HAD no superstitions, so it was always surprising to learn about the things that other people believed.

The first one... made me feel pangs for you, because that is never, ever good. :(

[murielle]

Thank you so much for your kind words. :-)
My grandmother was very superstitious, my mom not so much. Growing up, I was more like my grandmother.

And yes, number one is never good, and is the hardest taboo to break.

[bleodswean]

Oh, M! How skillfully you brought us from familiar and silly superstitions to strange family beliefs and then finally that terrible warning that acts like a bad specter inside a person for all of their lives. This is such a powerful entry and I'm so happy you stuck with your instinct and shared this with us. Extremely well done.

HUGS

[murielle]

Wow! Thank you so much. I am so humbled and honored by this, E. Thank you.

I was not convinced this was what I wanted to write or how to do it. I didn't want the entire thing to be heavy, but the weight of the last point needed to be full and focused.

Thank you so much for seeing it and your kind words of support and understanding.

HUGS

[chasing_silver]

A really interesting set of vignettes. Everyone has superstitions ... how interesting about the elephants!

[murielle]

Thank you for reading and commenting!

Family superstitions are always surprising. ;-)

[thephantomq]

it's fascinating how many of these superstitions and the like are passed down from parent to child -- through media, too, considering how prevalent it can be. rewiring our brains to accept these things as not true is difficult -- and I'm glad you've managed it for some things, at the very least <3

[murielle]

Thank you for reading and commenting!

Yes, shaking them off can take time, especially when they're so ingrained. :-)

[roina_arwen]

I’ve heard many of these, but like other commenters not the one about roosters and elephants. Very strong but sinister ending.

[murielle]

Thank you for reading and commenting.

Yes, "don't tell" is usually pretty sinister. Isn't it? :-)

[erulissedances]

I've heard of all of these things, and loved how you incorporated them into a full story. The last one, however, I feel fortunate to have never been told. It packs an impact and opens a potential Pandora's box.

- Erulisse (one L)

[murielle]

Thank you so much for your lovely comment. 😊

[reidharriscooper]

This was super fun to read and a great insight of the things that make up a person and taking it, letting i be part yet also "using" it to propel forward. Don't forget the past, but don't also let the past be your future.

I happen to have at least 12 elephants living in this house btw.

[murielle]

Thank you! I appreciate your comment so much.

I love elephants! I'm so glad I was able to let that one go. 😀

[tonithegreat]

Ah, your number one is so sad. I’ll add my voice to those saying they’re glad you went with this topic. Well done!

[murielle]

Thank you SO much! ❤

[xeena]

*hugs* the ending. There are things I saw and experienced in my childhood and teenage years that no kids should and for years I had a hard time discussing them but as I grew older I realized talking about them with certain people (a close friend) made me feel better. I really feel you on not wanting to delve into details though.

[murielle]

Thank you so much for your kind and insightful words. And your understanding. ❤

[alycewilson]

So many superstitions make absolutely no sense, but we follow them anyway.

[murielle]

So true! I think I am clear of most of them now.

Thank you so much for commentating. 😊