Ever since I was little I believed in superstitions. I loved to explore the coincidences of the world that I thought were mysterious. I was curious and made up my own tales for why things happened in such circumstantial events. One particular superstition of mine used to haunt my young mind.
My birthday is March 9th. I always enjoy my birthday because my friends and family typically get along better and who doesn’t love their birthday. However, seven days before this luxurious event, a curse has been laid upon me. On March 2nd for many years, something terrible has happened.

The curse began the week before my 14th birthday. Being a perfectly healthy newfound teenager, I rarely ever missed school. If I did, it was because I didn’t want to go that day. Then on March 2, I fell ill with a stomach bug. I woke up that morning to a terrible pain in my stomach. I just thought that this was a feeling of hunger so I got ready as usual.

My dad came to pick me up and take me to school as he normally did, and as I was going outside, the door smashed my finger. Wincing away the pain, I thought I was fine, until the pain triggered a surge in my stomach. I ran to the bathroom and threw up as much as I could. My mother had me stay home and I mostly slept the day away, my stomach’s agony reminding me of the embarrassing vomiting session I had earlier. My whole family had gotten sick earlier in the week but somehow it got around to me on right before my birthday.

The following year, my 15th birthday was approaching. I had a job at the infamous retail store of Hot Topic. Being one of the best sellers there and working only on the weekends, I was content with my job. However, every job comes with a price at some point. My boss called me up to come to work on March 2 and I came as quickly and as peppy as could be.

Instead of going to work, my boss sat me down for a long and grueling talk and it had been decided that I was to be fired that day. I signed my paperwork, knowing arguing was no use, and left the store tear-stricken. Ironically, that did not stop me from going clothes shopping there on my birthday, and all tensions seemed to dissolve as I conversed with old workers. It’s as if problems only arouse the week before and nothing stressful remained.

Now came the last cursed day, the week before my sweet sixteen. I am a theater kid, plain and simple. Acting is something I love to do and I always enjoy it, no matter the size of my role. I’ll even be “tree number three.” This fall I had struck luck by getting my first true major part in the UIL One Act, The Bald Soprano. I played a Cockney maid named Mary but was having trouble with getting into the directors’ vision of the character.
As a result, I was replaced with a more experienced senior and was in the cast as an alternate. Not only did my part drop, but my heart sank with it. I beat myself up, wondering what I did wrong. Although I was upset at the time, I learned how to handle disappointment. I also was still honored to be a part of the hilarious fun-loving cast.

Up until this year, I have feared this day. I put mythical pieces together and thought that this day would always be my downfall. I wondered what would happen the next year, and the year after that. I cringed in fear as my 17th birthday crept closer and closer, imagining the events that would occur.

However, even though March 2 has had a really bad reputation in my past, this year I actually had a great time that day. It was nothing out of the ordinary, just a day at my current job filled with jokes with my coworkers. I ended the day watching Lord of the Rings with my boyfriend, so I would say it was a good day. I guess I shouldn’t believe in superstitions. However, that won’t stop me from locking all my doors and windows before my 18th birthday.