In last night's episode of Lost, a gun jammed at a crucial time--an action attributed to the inexorable will of the mysterious Island in that individual's life. Coincidentally, a few hours later a gun jammed again in New York City--as a mugger tried to steal this guy's $8,000 diamond-studded gold Jesus pendant:

A thug trying to steal a religious necklace off a man's neck in the East Village shoved a gun into the petrified victim's cheek and repeatedly pulled the trigger - but the gun kept jamming.

Rafael Nuñez - who was beaten and pistol-whipped - feels like the heavens were on his side after the midnight attack on East 13th Street near Avenue B.

It seemed like his time was up when the gunman - urged on by his accomplice, who kept screaming, "Just shoot him!" - shoved the weapon under his left eye.

"I heard him press the trigger twice," said Nuñez, 27.

Funny, I thought I saw Nunez get on the Staten Island Ferry this morning . . . except he insisted his name was really Kevin Johnson.