1. Blue-eyed people.
“I’ve told you ten times to stop hanging out with that girl with the eyes!” my grandmother exclaims and rushes to tie a piece of red thread around my left wrist, as I am running obnoxiously late for a date with my blue-eyed friend Sara. “When you come back I’ll take you to the vrachka for some good luck and protection,” grandma adds while finally granting me permission to leave the house.