Superstitious Splinters

"Shit," Mike said, shaking his hand. He was working on a rocking chair for a fellow engineer, when a splinter lodged itself in his finger. Mike sucked his finger and glared at the offending piece of wood the splinter came from. He had just cut out the armrests, which meant the pieces weren't yet sanded. "Least I won't get another splinter," he said.