Never open a pocket knife and let someone else close it, or you’ll have bad luck

[Scene: A sunny Saturday afternoon in São Paulo. Rafael and Lucas are at a park, enjoying pastel and caldo de cana from a nearby vendor. Rafael pulls out his pocket knife to cut an apple.]

Rafael:
Here, hold this while I cut it. (starts slicing the apple)

Lucas:
Sure thing. That’s a pretty sharp knife. Where’d you get it?

Rafael:
At the feira last week. Handcrafted! But hey—whatever you do, don’t close it. Let me do it.

Lucas:
Why not? I’m literally just— (reaches for the knife)

Rafael: (snatching it back)
No! Don’t you know? If you open a pocket knife, you have to be the one to close it. Otherwise, it brings bad luck. Everyone knows that!

Lucas:
Seriously? That’s a new one for me. Bad luck from a knife exchange? That sounds like something invented by a guy who just didn’t like people touching his stuff.

Rafael:
Don’t mock it, man. My cousin Letícia closed my dad’s knife once. Next day, bam—she slipped on a wet floor, broke her wrist.

Lucas:
That’s called coincidence, Rafa. You’re linking two totally unrelated events. Slipping on a wet floor has nothing to do with folding a piece of metal.

Rafael: (crossing his arms)
Maybe not to you. But in my family, that’s been passed down for generations. It’s not just the knife. My grandma also says sweeping someone’s feet means they’ll never get married.

Lucas:
Let me guess—you also knock on wood, avoid black cats, and hold your breath when passing cemeteries?

Rafael: (grinning)
Guilty on all counts! I’m just… respecting tradition, man.

Lucas:
I get that. Culture’s important. But don’t you think it’s better to live based on what’s real? I mean, I’ve closed a bunch of knives opened by other people. I’m still here, still lucky—unless you count my dating life.

Rafael: (laughs)
That’s because I never let you close mine. Maybe I’ve been saving you all this time!

Lucas:
Or maybe I’ve been protected by common sense. Listen, if we really believed that kind of thing, we’d be afraid of everything. What if someone said, “If you step on a crack, your mom’s back breaks”?

Rafael:
They do say that in some places! And I’m careful, just in case.

Lucas:
Come on. It’s like blaming a rainbow for your Wi-Fi going out. Superstitions are patterns we see because our brains want explanations—even when none exist. Scientists call it confirmation bias.

Rafael:
Okay, Mr. Science, but let me ask you this—does it hurt to follow a superstition? It gives me peace of mind. I like the ritual. Plus, it’s kind of fun. Feels like I’m part of something ancient.

Lucas:
Fair point. But if it ever starts to limit your thinking, or you start avoiding people because of silly fears, that’s when it becomes a problem. Imagine losing a friend because they folded your Swiss Army knife.

Rafael:
Hah! I did stop talking to Rodrigo for a week after he did that.

Lucas:
Exactly! That’s what I’m talking about. Beliefs should connect us, not cause drama over a 3-inch blade.

Rafael: (pausing, then smiling)
You make a decent argument, man. But still… I’m closing my own knife.

Lucas: (handing it back with a smirk)
Fine. But if I ever get attacked by a sandwich wrapper again, I’ll open it for you.

Rafael:
Deal. Just don’t expect me to close it after.

[They laugh, finishing the apple and strolling toward the coconut water vendor.]