[Setting: A cozy kitchen in Lyon, France. It’s February 2nd — La Chandeleur. The smell of butter and sugar fills the air. Lucie is standing at the stove, holding a crêpe pan in one hand and a shiny gold coin in the other. Her best friend Julien leans against the counter, arms crossed, watching with a grin.]
Julien: (chuckling) Lucie, you really think holding that coin while flipping a crêpe is going to make you rich this year?
Lucie: (grinning confidently) Of course! It’s tradition, Julien. You have to hold the coin in one hand and flip the crêpe with the other. That’s how you bring prosperity into the house. My grandmother swore by it, and we never had a bad year.
Julien: (raising an eyebrow) Never had a bad year? What about the time your car broke down on the way to Nice, and you had to hitchhike with a couple of German tourists?
Lucie: (waving the spatula) Pfft! That wasn’t about money, that was just… bad luck. Besides, we ended up drinking beer on the beach with them, remember? It worked out!
Julien: (laughing) Fair enough. But come on, Lucie — a gold coin? What’s next, tossing salt over your shoulder, knocking on wood, avoiding black cats?
Lucie: (pretending to be shocked) You should avoid black cats! And salt works, too. I’m just respecting centuries of wisdom, my friend. You science people always want to explain away the magic in life.
Julien: (smiling) It’s not about explaining away magic. It’s about understanding why things happen. Think about it: flipping a crêpe with a coin doesn’t change your bank balance. It’s your job, your savings plan, and — let’s be honest — not spending all your money on antique teapots.
Lucie: (laughing) Hey! My teapots are an investment. And anyway, it’s not only about the money. It’s the symbolism. It’s like telling the universe you’re ready for abundance.
Julien: Okay, I get that. Rituals can make us feel grounded or hopeful. But the universe doesn’t have a bank account with your name on it. If it did, half of Paris would be billionaires every February.
Lucie: (flipping a crêpe and landing it perfectly) Ha! That’s because most people use a euro coin. I use a Louis d’or — real gold. Go big or go home.
Julien: (mock groaning) You’re impossible. But seriously, don’t you think the ritual works because it makes you feel confident? And that confidence probably affects how you handle things the rest of the year.
Lucie: Hmm… maybe. But can’t we have a little mystery in life? You analyze everything. Remember when you tried to explain to me why horoscopes are nonsense? And then a week later, Mercury went retrograde and your laptop crashed?
Julien: (grinning) That was coincidence! My battery was already dying — Mercury had nothing to do with it.
Lucie: (playfully) That’s what you think.
Julien: Look, I’m not trying to ruin your fun. I just want you to realize you have more control over your life than you give yourself credit for. You don’t need the coin. You’ve got talent, determination — and an unhealthy amount of stubbornness.
Lucie: (laughing, lowering the pan) And you’ve got that annoying rational voice in my ear. But you’re right about one thing — I am stubborn. And stubborn people flip excellent crêpes.
Julien: (grabbing a plate) I’ll happily take one of those non-magical crêpes.
Lucie: Not so fast! You have to flip one, too.
Julien: Me? Lucie, you know I can barely toast bread.
Lucie: Doesn’t matter. Take the coin.
Julien: (sighing) Fine, but I’m only doing this so I can eat. Not because I believe in your prosperity ritual.
Lucie: (handing him the coin) Sure, sure. But don’t come crying to me when you get a raise next month.
Julien: (muttering) If that happens, I’m buying a lottery ticket.
Lucie: (cheering) That’s the spirit! See? I’m rubbing off on you already.
[They both burst into laughter as Julien awkwardly flips the crêpe — half landing on the pan, half on the stove. Lucie claps, and Julien rolls his eyes, smiling despite himself.]
Science Vs Superstition 
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