One day , long ago
On holidays
A friend we visited
As we came in
He turned on the stove
Where a saucepan
With nails in water stood
Then he filled the kettle
And boiled the water
To make us a cup of tea
We thought nothing of it
Polite we were
Curious we weren't
After half an hour
He started to relax
Became our usual jocular friend
Eventually as we were leaving
I made the inquiry
"Does it stop the nails to rust?"
Nonplussed he answered
"The vibes have been so bad lately,
I'm just trying to identify the source"
That was not the answer
I expected from such a rationalist
He never read a novel
I gave him a quizzical look
I was so puzzled that he elaborated
"See if the water in the nail saucepan
Had started to boil, I would have known
You were my enemies, it didn't.
You're fine."
I let pass the last comment
And further asked
"Does it ever?"
"Not so far, but it will!"
Six months later, On our next visit
The saucepan was still on the stove
"It didn't work, did it?"
"It certainly did, believe me"
"So what happened?"
"He had a car accident, he died"
"So why the saucepan ?"
"I might have more than one fiend"
Answered my wizardry friend.
Call it superstition it you will
We cut the friendship.
Lucette C. Bailliet
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