Neurotic Friday The 13th

I enjoyed this 1984 article in the New York Times by Stephen King, titled, "A Bad Year if You Fear Friday the 13th."  HERE.

I had to check this, since there is that other Stephen King who posts economic news.  But I'm pretty sure this is our writer friend, since it's hard to imagine the economist being that concerned about Friday the 13th.

King wrote:

I always take the last two steps on my back stairs as one, making 13 into 12 (there were, after all, 13 steps on the English gallows - up until 1900 or so - and executions were traditionally carried out on Fridays). When I am reading, I will not stop on page 94, page 193, page 382, et al. - the digits of these numbers add up to 13. Such behavior is, of course, neurotic, but I sometimes think it is neurosis and not love that reallymakes the world go round - think of all those basketball players who cross themselves before taking foul shots, not to mention stockbrokers who carry lucky coins and carpenters who wouldn't think of completing a house without first nailing a branch to the rooftree.

King gives special attention to years with a triple Friday the 13th.  For instance, " In 1956 Bela Lugosi died and was buried in his Dracula cloak."

Finally, the 1984 Stephen King informs us that the year he's reallydreading is 1998. "In that triple- whammy year I'll be 49. Can you add 4 and 9?"  So what did happen in 1998?  He gave us Bag Of Bones.  Not so bad!  However, 1999 would be the year that wasn't so friendly.