Triskaidekaphobia

     Triskaidekaphobia is a word that can be found in the Wikipedia dictionary. Translated from the Greek, it is defined as fear of the number thirteen.
     It is a serious, possibly fatal, mental health condition among Cortland County legislators. It falls short of an epidemic--only nineteen people are involved and it is not contagious. Medical experts define it as "a peculiar state of mind."
     Tompkins County (population 100,407) has fifteen legislators and its legislature is currently proposing a reduction to fourteen. Cortland County (population 48,483) has nineteen legislators and its legislature is currently proposing a reduction to seventeen.
     Unbiased observers, and they are few, have suggested thirteen legislators for Cortland County. They argue persuasively that it can eliminate the need for weighted voting.
     What is it about the number 13 which frightens and paralyzes Cortland County legislators?
     From a political viewpoint, it appears several legislators would lose their jobs. The public believes the county legislature could easily remove four or five legislators. No one would notice that they were missing. Democrats are afraid that Republicans would gain an advantage and that Democrats would lose influence. From a political viewpoint, these fears are understandable.
     Does triskaidekaphobia run deeper than this? Let's examine the history of this esoteric phobia. Our reference is the Wikipedia dictionary and other sources.
     Christian tradition has espoused that Judas, who was present at The Last Supper, was the thirteenth disciple. In the Norse pantheon, Loki was the thirteenth god who planned the murder of Balder, and Loki was the thirteenth guest to arrive at Balder's funeral. This relates to the superstition that when thirteen people gather together, one of them will die the following year. During the Middle Ages, French royalty would hire a fourteenth guest because they believed that thirteen diners who sat together would cause the death of one of them.
     To put an end to such superstitions, a group of New Yorkers formed the Thirteen Club in 1881. The first meeting was Friday, January 13 at 8:13 P.M. Thirteen people sat down to dine together. The guests walked under a ladder to the dining room and were seated among piles of spilled salt.
     One of the guests died the following year. An obituary was never published.
     Perhaps this explains why some people are recommending twelve--no, thirteen county legislators.