2021 Friday — Memories

Mr. Fun went walking this morning. I sat down and started writing. The photo is his; the words are mine
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Today is the 75th birthday of Michael James Wagner. He was simply “Mike” to us. But nothing about him was simple. He was, though, easy—easy to talk to, easy to be with. My memory tells me that we were all always together, but I know that’s not true.

I met Mike at my boyfriend Tom’s apartment. I was a high school 10th grader. It was Mike and Tom’s second semester of college. Our friendship was immediate. That day we started sharing life because we were both sharing a best friend. That was February 25, 1965, a Thursday. We had no idea that in a little less than 5 years the friendship would be halted.

In the next few weeks, months, and years our friendship deepened. Tom married Carol; Mike married Sally. We were a foursome. Marriage, babies, jobs, cars, finances, parents, and houses were making our lives complex, and possibly complicated. It was a given that every day we would be together. Looking back there must have been many moments, even days, when we were apart. But memory only serves-up the together moments, and there were lots of them.

If you have seen the movie “American Graffiti,” then you have seen our friend Mike Wagner. “Terry” in that movie was played by Charles Martin Smith. Mike could have been his double in looks, and Mike was the “Terry” character in real life.

Mike was anything but “cool.” He was a nerd, a geek, a goober, a squirrel. He was studious; he loved school and was the smartest guy we knew. He was not a surfer, and he didn’t have a hot car. He was, though, one of the nicest people I have ever known. As the two of us look back, we see a Mike who was on the journey to becoming “cool” and he definitely was mapping a path to success.

In 1969, October 8th was a Wednesday. We were waiting till Friday to not only celebrate Mike’s 23rd birthday, but on that Friday, the 10th of October, Mike & Sally’s little boy, Brent, would be 2 years old. That day was reserved for a celebration; cake, ice cream, and blow out the candles.

Today Tom & I are going to celebrate too. We are going to celebrate the Mike that we knew—who he was and who we think he probably would have become. The “could ofs” always enter in on this reminiscing 8th day of October.

Life is uncanny and definitely merciless in presenting us with death. When friends are in their twenties, death’s arrival is an unexpected force. Six days after Mike’s 23rd birthday, he died. On his way home from work, a block from his house, he was in a terrible auto accident. Hours later he was pronounced dead.

Mike, today we celebrate you. You fill our memories and your absence leaves an emptiness that has never gone away.

Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol
and Chloe & Mitzi to!