Superstitions?

I'm one of those people who doesn't believe in anything that I can't see or experience in some way.

It exasperates some of my religious friends, but I'm sorry--I guess I just don't have the "faith" gene. I see no evidence for any god and I don't have any faith to fill in that very large gap.

(And please note that I'm not attacking anybody's religion--your faith is your business. Like my lack thereof is mine.)

But I do have a stupid superstition that keeps hanging on.

I pick up pennies when I find them lying on the ground, if they are on heads, and I can reach them without putting myself at physical risk.

I know it's stupid. But let me tell you a true story about this particular hangup of mine.

One day I was doing laundry in the laundry-mat at my apartment complex. There were guys mowing the lawn outside the building. It was hot so the windows were open. I was sorting my whites from my colors and I remember thinking what a dumbassed idea it was, that finding and picking up a penny that was just lying on the ground with the "heads" side up would bring luck, when I heard a metallic clink.

The lawn mower outside had apparently kicked up a penny that was in the grass and the blades shot it through the window of the laundrymat, where it richocheted around and came to rest on the floor in front of me.

On heads. Damn.