Number games. Western cultures are obsessed with even numbers. But, two is not a good number. Four is definitely not a good number, nor, because it is 2 x 4, is eight. I used to have 8 of those very large Libby “Texas tumblers,” in the Chivalry pattern. They are wonderful filled with iced tea, thrangling with ice cubes. You can’t find them anymore. Believe me I’ve looked. Why? Several years after I got them, the dish washer ate one. Took a large bite out of the rim of it . I’ve had the other seven through three moves and almost 40 years. The same with the eight tall, blue and white Chinese pattern teacups with lids I got at Pier 1, which I’ve had through two moves and probably fifteen years. The dishwasher took a nip out of the rim of one of them last summer. I keep the nipped one out on the counter now filled with those little packets of Crystal Light.
One is a good number. So is three. Five has a two in it and seven has a four in it. Nine is the best, though, because it’s 3 x 3. I know if I get an even number of something, sooner or later I’ll break one. If its something I really like, I always try to get an odd number — one or three or five or seven or nine. The next glass I’ll break will probably be one of those cobalt blue glass tumblers. I have ten of them.
Wol's River of Stones 