Superstitions generally cast Friday the 13th into a bad luck day for the so-called ``triskaidekaphobics'' who fear it, but the number 13 also has some good signs. In this Liberty Bell city the 13 colonies declared independence, and the 13-letter slogan ``E Pluribus Unum'' is placed on U.S. coins. Also Philadelphia is the headquarters for the Friday the 13th club, founded 54 years ago by 13 men, limits membership to 13 and only meets on Friday the 13th. ``We replace members only when someone dies or leaves town,'' member Arthur Klein said of the club, whose theme is to defy all the superstitutions. This Friday the 13th, the club will gather at 8:13 a.m. in a paint warehouse where chairman Max Buten has assembled some ladders. Not only will members walk under the ladders. They also will open black umbrellas, break mirrors and spill salt. They may even have a few black cats. Scared? ``Not us,'' said Klein, who wouldn't say if he would be carrying a rabbit's foot or would be knocking on wood when walking under the ladders. ``As soon as this meeting's over I'm asking for a substantial premium reduction on my warehouse's catastrophe insurance,'' Buten said. Nordic myth has it that number 13 first became unlucky a few thousand years ago when, at a banquet of a dozen benevolent gods, an uninvited bad god intruded and started a fight that killed the most popular god. Another explanation for calling it a bad day was that Jesus was crucified on a Friday and there were 13 at his Last Supper. Many buildings omit 13 when numbering floors. Some hospitals don't have a room 13. Some people won't start a trip on the 13th. Klein isn't worried about defying the superstitions. ``Hey, we've been meeting every Friday the 13th, and nothing's stopped us yet,'' he said. There's a target date for stopping, though. The last scheduled meeting, according to the club's charter, is Friday, Oct. 13, 2000.
