On 6/21/2024 8:39 AM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:

This showed up in the comments of a (non-SF) blog I follow.
I think you could get an interesting story out of it:


Blogger Jupiter said...

I encountered an idea that I find intriguing. Suppose that
black cats are clairvoyant. When they see you going to what
they clearly perceive to be your doom, they try to warn
you. By crossing in front of you. "Nix. No. Don't go here.
Turn back".

Whitish-orange cat: So, you can see what's going
to happen to the monkey?

Black cat: Not exactly. I just know that ... the
monkey shouldn't go that way.

WOC: And this happens often?

BC: (Licking paw. Shrugs) Yeah. Yeah, actually, a
lot. All the time.

WOC: And you try to tell them? But they don't pay
any attention?

BC: Oh, pretty much. Sometimes they blame me. They
say I'm "bad luck".

WOC: Wow. Weird. Haven't they learned?

BC: (Shrugs again. Licks paw, a bit more carefully)
You can tell a monkey no. But you can't stop him.
They seem to have, like, an attraction to doom.
(Examines paw, extends and retracts a single long,
curved claw). Or, who knows. Maybe they're doomed
no matter what they do.

What happens in the countries where black cats are considered
*good* luck?

pt