Frasier turned to Daphne.

"Daphne," he said matter-of-factly, "Nothing will happen to me on Friday 13^th. Nothing will happen to anyone. It's all a load of nonsense."

"That's what me brother Billy thought," Daphne said coldly.

"Oh?"

"Oh yes. He said the same words as you, and bad things happened to him all day."

"Such as?" asked Frasier, not really interested.

"Well, my brother Billy fell into the sea, caught a cold, had paint fall on his head, dislocated his finger, got dumped by his partner....."

"Daphne, those things could happen to anybody. It was just coincidence."

"I'm not so sure," Daphne said as they walked back into Elliot Bay Towers.

---------

"Careful Fras!!!" Martin warned his son as Dr Crane got his coat on ready for work.

"Pardon Dad?" Frasier asked as he put his coat on.

"I said....."

CRASH!!!

"You were going to knock over that new vase of yours."

"It's not a vase Dad, it's a....."

".....Broken pile of china, I know son. You did it with your coat."

"Well, I was going to say it was a jewellery box used by the Marquis of Rayner's daughter during the 1800's." Frasier corrected his dad as he swept up the pieces. "She disguised it as a vase to stop people thinking her jewels were inside."

"I'm just glad it's only a replica," Martin said. "Heaven forbid what would have happened if it had been the real thing. What with today being Friday 13^th and all that....."

"Yes Dad, but I don't believe in all that nonsense. Now I must go or I'll be late. Bye." And Frasier left his apartment.

---------

"Gee Frasier, where were you?" asked Roz as Frasier came into the studio, huffing and puffing. "I didn't think the marathon was until next month."

"Very funny Roz," observed Frasier.

"The news bulletin is extended due to that car crash story - luckily for you," said Roz.

"Yes, I got caught in the traffic due to that crash," explained Frasier. "I had to park the car 7 blocks away and run here. And the car park cost me $10!!!"

"Ok, 5,4,3....." Roz counted down as she and Frasier put on their headphones.

"Good afternoon Seattle, this is Dr Frasier Crane....."

"Frasier!!!"

Frasier stared at her as if to say "What?".

"The equipment isn't working!!! We're not on air!!!"

---------

Luckily Studio C was available and Frasier and Roz used that whilst their studio was being fixed. A caller, Hugh, had phoned in.

".....and I'm scared of getting out of bed today Dr Crane!!! Today is Friday 13^th and I know something bad is going to happen to me."

"Well Hugh," said Frasier, "This fear of Friday 13^th is probably sprung out of a childhood insecurity. It could be due to....."

CRASH!!! Frasier accidentally knocked the microphone off the table and onto his foot.

"Owww ow ow!!!"

"Oh my God Dr Crane, it's bad luck for you too!!!" Hugh wailed. "I'm contagious!!!" And he hung up.

Frasier turned to Roz.

"We'll be right back after these messages."

Once he was off-air, Frasier took off his shoe and inspected his foot.

"Do you have to do that in here?" wailed Roz.

The door entered and Bulldog walked in.

"Hey Roz, hi Doc, whoa!!! What happened there? Hurt yourself opening some fancy wine?"

"No Bulldog, I dropped my microphone."

Bulldog sniggered as he walked towards Roz, but then tripped over on a wire and fell onto Frasier's bad foot.

It was just as well for Seattle that Frasier was off-air, for the noise from Frasier's mouth would have been much louder.

---------

"I tell you Niles, my show today was all about Friday 13^th and how scared people are of it. Full of weirdoes like that Hugh person."

"Or the presenter," Niles said to himself.

"I heard that Niles," said Frasier. "Double kona with cream," he added to the passing waitress.

"So anything else happen to you today?"

"No, other than this bandage around my foot!!!" hissed Frasier. "I've sprained my ankle and it'll take weeks to fix."

"Here's your coffee sir," said the waitress.

Then it happened.

She tripped over Frasier's bad leg and the coffee went all over his coat.

"My coat!!!" wailed Frasier.

"Sorry," the waitress said. "I'll clean that up."

"Frasier," said Niles, "you do seem to be having a lot of bad luck today."

"Oh come on Niles, everything's fine!!!"

"Then don't look at your coat."

Frasier looked down to see that someone had spilt sugar over his coat.

"Yes, well, there'll be no bad luck tonight with my date with Faye. I'd better get my coat washed for that." And using his cane he walked out.

"You look just like Dad!!!" Niles called.

"That's the biggest piece of bad luck," Frasier replied.

---------

Ding-dong.

"Daphne, could you answer that?" Frasier asked. "I'm still getting ready."

Daphne did to find Faye outside.

"Evening Daphne," she said. "Where's Frasier?"

"Still getting ready," replied Daphne. "Y'know, I really don't know why men always say we girls take longer to get ready when they themselves take ages."

"And what's wrong with going through your entire tie collection?" asked Frasier as he stepped into view.

"Nothing," giggled Faye. "Let's go."

---------

At Stephano's, Frasier and Faye sat down and looked at the menu.

"You know, Niles doesn't like coming in here," said Frasier and explained why.

"Well, I think I'll have that pasta that woman has, it looks nice."

"Not as nice as you Faye," said Frasier.

The waiter came up.

"May I take your orders?"

Frasier and Faye gave their orders and the waiter walked off. They started talking about Frasier's foot when Frasier stopped.

"What's wrong Frasier?" asked Faye.

"It's Maris!!!" hissed Frasier. "What's she doing here?"

Maris wondered over to another table and sat down. Minutes later her boyfriend, Dr Bernard Shenkman, sat down next to her. They started laughing and talking.

"Frasier," hissed Faye, "stop staring!!!"

Frasier turned to Dr Shenkman and looked at him instead, not looking at Maris. Just then their orders arrived and Frasier forgot about Maris as he and Faye ate their dinners.

A few minutes passed and Frasier was happily tucking into his lasagne when the waiter came up.

"I've been asked to give this to you sir," he said, and tipped a glass of wine over Frasier. Unfortunately some of it went over Faye's dress, and her scream attracted the attention of the entire restaurant, who saw a very wet Frasier, with his crutch and broken foot. They burst out laughing. Frasier just wanted to curl up and die.

---------

"Hey Fras," Martin welcomed his son as he stepped in through the door. "how was your date?"

"It was awful Dad," Frasier answered. "Maris was there, and she saw me staring at her. So she sent over a glass of wine which was poured all over me. And some hit Faye as well, ruining her new dress."

"Oh dear Dr Crane," said Daphne. "You have been unlucky today. It's Friday 13^th, you know."

"Friday 13^th may be a load of nonsense," said Frasier, "but I've suffered enough today. I'm off to bed, and expect a "Happy Saturday 14^th" card in the mail tomorrow!!!"

Daphne and Martin could only just hide their smiles.