author: Umberto Eco, _Foucault's Pendulum_
content: "One morning Amparo and I were driving along the coast after having attended\
  \ a seminar on the class structure of the lumpenproletariat. I saw some votive offerings\
  \ on the beach, little candles, white garlands. Amparo told me they were offerings\
  \ to Yemanj\xE1, goddess of the waters. We stopped, and she got out and walked demurely\
  \ onto the sand, stood a few moments in silence. I asked her if she believed in\
  \ this. She retorted angrily: How could I think such a thing? Then she added, \"\
  My grandmother used to bring me to the beach here, and she would pray to the goddess\
  \ to make me grow up beautiful and good and happy. Who was that Italian philosopher\
  \ who made that comment about black cats and coral horns? 'It's not true, but I\
  \ believe in it'? Well, I don't believe in it, but it's true.\""
id: 3330bfb4-e9ff-4bf3-b5a9-c76c13adae8c