Dead snake I am not, by nature, all that superstitious—well, except when it comes to rooting on the Boston Red Sox—so the fact that today is Friday the 13th is of little concern. The world will go on. I may very well walk under a ladder, and I have no fear of black cats. Indeed, I share my home with one, and I feel lucky to have such a wonderful companion. But 13 was not the bearer of good numerological fortune for this young Garter Snake that I noticed on my morning walk. The reptile, probably born early this year, appeared to be simply resting in the road, perhaps waiting for the chill to leave the air. Sadly, when the day warmed, the snake would not. It had been hit by a car, and Friday the 13th was its last day on Earth—the most unlucky day imaginable. Perhaps a scavenger, needing a meal, would find something good in reptilian bad fortune.