I fooled the universe tonight (aka expecto transitus!)

I know this is how things work, but sometimes enough is enough and what difference does five quid make in the long-term scheme of things, anyway? So I resolved to take the next available taxi that came along: really committed myself to it in my mind, said as much out loud in my head and everything. Not two seconds later, a taxi down the street turned its ready light on... and -- psych! -- I retracted my committment to get in that taxi.

Sure enough, the bus I wanted was right behind it. I win!

Now that I’ve used this trick once, the universe will be on to it, so I can never use it again.

But just for a moment, I was ahead of the game.