Our trains are not ambushed by dragons, suicide bombers, or chthonian tentacle monsters. Frankly, given the quality of the postprandial conversation,… - Charles Stross

Once is happenstance but twice is enemy action, and thrice is a fuck-up.

But has it occurred to you that there might be a reason for that?"
"I can think of several." I cross my legs. "Mostly ranging from the inane to the criminally irresponsible."

There are two types of people in this world," Pete volunteers helpfully, "those who think there are only two types of people in the world, and everybody else." He sips his wine thoughtfully. "But the first kind don't put it that way. They usually think in terms of the saved and the damned, with themselves sitting pretty in the lifeboat." He manages to simultaneously look pained and resigned. "Sometimes they find their way out of the maze. But not very often."