Scene: A tea shop in Madurai, late afternoon. Two friends, Arjun and Vinod, are sitting at a small table, sipping chai and munching on samosas.
Arjun: (frowning, pushing his samosa around)
“Da, I don’t know if I should go for that interview tomorrow.”
Vinod: (raising an eyebrow)
“Eh? What are you saying? You’ve been preparing for weeks! Why are you suddenly worried?”
Arjun: (lowering his voice)
“Today morning, while I was leaving for the mock interview, the first person I saw was Mrs. Ramanathan. You know… widow. And then, the whole day went badly. First my bike didn’t start, then I forgot my resume at home… Bad omen, da!”
Vinod: (choking slightly on his chai, half amused)
“Aiyo, Arjun! Again with this superstition? Just because you saw Mrs. Ramanathan? She’s a sweet lady, yaar. She even gives kids chocolates during Diwali!”
Arjun: (serious)
“I know, machan, she’s kind. This isn’t about her personally. It’s… tradition. Even my paati used to say — starting something after seeing a widow brings bad luck.”
Vinod: (leaning forward)
“Okay, okay, tell me one thing. Suppose you saw a widow but did get your dream job, what would you say then?”
Arjun: (thinking hard)
“Maybe… exception? Rare case?”
Vinod: (grinning)
“Exactly! And if something bad happens, you remember it and blame it on her. It’s called confirmation bias, da. Our brain loves to find patterns, even when there’s none.”
Arjun: (suspicious)
“You’re making it sound too simple, bro. Our elders can’t be wrong entirely, no?”
Vinod: (nodding respectfully)
“I’m not saying elders were wrong on purpose. They had their own beliefs at their time. But think about it… Back then, widows had a tough life — no support, no respect. Society made them scapegoats for anything bad.”
Arjun: (a bit uncomfortable)
“Hmm… like blaming them for famine or disease?”
Vinod:
“Exactly! It was easier to say ‘bad luck’ than admit bigger problems. And sadly, it stuck around. But now we have education, science, common sense. Should we still carry forward injustice?”
Arjun: (still hesitant)
“But… sometimes these signs feel so real. Like once, after seeing a widow, my uncle lost a big client deal!”
Vinod: (smiling)
“And on other days? Maybe he made a boring presentation! If seeing a widow was truly unlucky, every widow should carry a warning sign, no? ‘Beware: May cause contract cancellations.’”
Arjun: (bursting into laughter)
“Aiyo, that would be ridiculous!”
Vinod: (grinning)
“Exactly! Da, think of Mrs. Ramanathan. Her husband passed away, she’s managing everything alone — running her family, taking care of her grandkids. That’s strength, not bad luck!”
Arjun: (nodding slowly)
“Hmm… you have a point. I guess blaming someone like that is… not fair.”
Vinod: (patting Arjun’s shoulder)
“Tomorrow, when you leave for your interview, see whoever you see — widow, old man, black cat, purple cow — and smile. Your success depends on your hard work, not random faces.”
Arjun: (smiling)
“You and your purple cows! Fine, da. No more blaming aunties for my bike problems. I’ll go give my best!”
Vinod: (raising his tea glass)
“That’s the spirit! Now, finish that samosa. If you leave it, it’s truly bad luck — for your stomach!”
[Both laugh heartily, their worries forgotten for a while.]
Science Vs Superstition 
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