RIP "Uncle" Mike
Weird news last night- my mom called to let me know that my dad's friend Mike died. While I never grew up calling my parents' friends Auntie and Uncle, I guess Mike would fall into that category. I'd known him since I was 9. He and my dad were first co-workers and then fishing buddies. Mike never took care of me, so to speak, but he was often around the house. I remember going to Mike's wedding when I was a kid, and helping set up the beautiful handmade bed my dad made and gave to him and Mary as a wedding present.
Mike struggled with alcoholism for years. Or, I don't know, are you "struggling" with it if you don't really try to stop drinking? I understand he finally did a year or two back, but I guess it was too late and his liver was too damaged and didn't recover.
Mike was also super conservative, and often worked for groups that were basically the opposite of ones I worked for. He considered himself deeply Christian, Catholic, I think. I remember once he bemoaned to me how he used to love taking his kids to the Maryland Renaissance Festival, but now it was overrun with goths and witches and Satanists. Ha! I refrained from telling him that many of those people in black with green hair are probably 1. atheists or agnostics, and 2. really awesome if you get to know them, in fact, a number were my friends. After all, what's the point of arguing with your dad's friend, the conservative drunk?
But still, while we had more than our share of differences, Mike was basically extended family and it's weird to think of him not being around anymore.
I really feel for Mike's wife Mary and his kids, and for his other close friends who lost my dad a couple of years ago and now him.
Mike struggled with alcoholism for years. Or, I don't know, are you "struggling" with it if you don't really try to stop drinking? I understand he finally did a year or two back, but I guess it was too late and his liver was too damaged and didn't recover.
Mike was also super conservative, and often worked for groups that were basically the opposite of ones I worked for. He considered himself deeply Christian, Catholic, I think. I remember once he bemoaned to me how he used to love taking his kids to the Maryland Renaissance Festival, but now it was overrun with goths and witches and Satanists. Ha! I refrained from telling him that many of those people in black with green hair are probably 1. atheists or agnostics, and 2. really awesome if you get to know them, in fact, a number were my friends. After all, what's the point of arguing with your dad's friend, the conservative drunk?
But still, while we had more than our share of differences, Mike was basically extended family and it's weird to think of him not being around anymore.
I really feel for Mike's wife Mary and his kids, and for his other close friends who lost my dad a couple of years ago and now him.