Sorry it has taken me a while to write. When I first received an email from Ronda and saw in the subject, Mike's name my heart just fell. Mike and I had an off on relationship I remember in the earlier years playing touch football (ended up being more like tackle football). I also remember Mike always being there for me. One time a classmate and I got into a fight. She sent a dog bone in the mail. So Mike and I decided we had to equally return the present and sent her a clipping from the newspaper for "dog grooming", Mike hand delivered it. Oh thoughts cat fights or should I say dog fights.
Another time Mike was there for me when I was babysitting some kids that had just moved into the neighborhood. There was a pretty ring on the kitchen counter and I thought I would try it on. The Father came home as I had the ring on my finger, I got scared and slipped it into my pocket in intension of returning it the next day. Well that ring happen to be a very special ring and the wife came over to my house to talk to my Mom. I was on the top of the steps listening to my sister defending me, I for sure didn't have the guts to admit to any one except Mike what had happened. Mike came up with a plan. He pretended to play football in their yard and put a little dirt on the ring, he went up to their door and said he had found it in their yard. He came over right after that and said "I think they bought the story". Needless to say I never got to babysit there again.
I was reading Neal Anderson's story about the tomatoes, I too was involved in that, we sat under the evergreen tree at your house on 6th and Atwood. By the way I think those tomatoes were from my Dad's garden.
Mike and I would watch the twilight zone at my house in the patio. I remember soon as I turned it on Mike was at my door. He even tried to kiss me, Mike was a good friend I didn't see him as a boyfriend and I think that hurt him. He stopped coming over to watch the Twilight Zone.
Once again we rekindled our friendship Mike hung out at my house again. It was Christmas time and my sister had just got home from work. She left her purse in the car which had a gift certificate she received from her job. After changing her clothes and was ready to go spend the certificate. She returned to her car and it was gone. She remember seeing Mike walking down the street when she first got home and thought maybe he took it. I kept on saying "Mike wouldn't do that". My Mom called over to Mike's house and he wasn't at home, he was out Christmas shopping.
Another "saving me" story, Mike was on Leave from the army and I was in a date. After going out for dinner we decided to go to Richards or Cheers (I can't remember what the name was at that time). Well the date wasn't going so well, Mike asked me how it was going and I told him the guy was a jerk, Mike didn’t like that and approached the guy, they ended up getting into an argument which ended up into a fist fight. Mike was a great fighter but this guy got one sucker punch and Mike went down. They got kicked out of the bar I didn't want to leave I wasn't sure what that guy would have done to me. The next day Mike came over I felt so bad, what a guy. That was the last time I saw him.
Mike had sent me a long letter when he was in the army, with a bunch of pictures. He had just returned from a outdoor concert. He said he had a blast, I'm sure he did Mike always made everything fun for everyone. He was a kind and adventurous guy, I miss him and every once in a while I think about the guy who always saved me.
I also remember after Mike's funeral I was down at Cheers I bumped into Scott Scheerhorn he said after people die they are forgotten. I assured him this wouldn’t be the case with me. Mike made a footprint on my heart, I think of him and the memories every time I pass your old house on 6th & Atwood.
Joan Skelly (Neisen)
