Ion Creanga and the mystery of the number 1

For every one of us, numbers have unsuspected meanings. "I was born on March 1st 1837 in the village of Humulesti, the county of Neamt, Plasa de Sus, to Romanian parents: atefan son of Petrea Ciubotariul of Humulesti and his wife Smaranda, born David Creanga, from the village of Pipirig, the county of Neamt." Ion Creanga wrote this. We do not know how or why, but the number one played an important part in the life of the great writer. On June 1st 1853 he was taken to school in Targu-Neamt, under the name atefanescu Ion. He was taught by Isaiia Teodorescu (Father Duhu) and he was the colleague of Vasile Conta, the future philosopher. On June 1st 1872, following his destitution, the Ministry of Culture and Public Education decided that "Ion Creanga is not fit to be a kindergarten teacher." On October 1st 1874, the magazine "Convorbiri literare" published his short story "Soacra cu trei nurori," on December 1st the same magazine published "Capra cu trei iezi," on January 1st - "Punguta cu doi bani," March 1st, "Danila Prepeleac," June 1st, "Povestea porcului." That same day (June 1st), Eminescu moved in Creanga's home. One year later, the poet moved to Bucharest to work as an editor with the "Timpul" magazine. His leaving saddened Creanga who wrote him: "Come on back, brother Mihai, for I am lonely without you." The letter is dated January 1st, the same day that "Convorbirile literare" published his story "Mos Nichifor Cotcariul." He receives the answer on April 1st when the story "Povestea lui Stan Patitul" was published. Then, on August 1st "Povestea lui Harap-Alb" follows and on September 1st, the same year - "Fata babei si fata mosului." 1878 is the year "Ivan Turbinca" appeared (April 1st) and "Povestea unui om lenes" (October 1st) and 1881, is the year of "Aminti din copilarie" (January 1st), the novel that made him famous. We can fairly say that the number 1 played an important part in his life. Sure, the date coincides with the regular appearance of the "Convorbiri literare" magazine but he also published his stories with other magazines. The "Contemporanul" magazine, published on December 1st "Mielusica" and "Cand eram in floarea mea," folkloric poetry that the writer compiled when he was in hospital in Bucharest at the Brancoveanu Hospital. On March 1st, the "Romania Juna" Almanac of the Social-Literary Society in Vienna published "Mos Ion Roata si Voda Cuza." 1883 was a fatal year for Eminescu. It was his last year of lucidity. The poet's acute crises contributed to Creanga's illness. From that point on, we only have the dates of medical leaves of absence. Eminescu's death on June 15, 1889 marked Creanga's last year of life. On December 31st he had a stroke in his brother's tobacco shop and was transported to his home in ?icau where he died a few minutes before January 1st.