Well, Micheal…. I was with your mama when she found out she was pregnant with you…… and when you came in to our lives, just a few short weeks after your cousin, Jason…. What fun we had. You were a cool kid… you always had the cutest blonde hair, and those beautiful blue eyes. I can remember you taking such good care of your shoes.. you would clean them and then display them nicely, and neatly til you needed to wear them again…. Lol. There are so many memoires….. but I am going to go with one that is the latest and such a fond memory. Mom called and wanted me to come up to my mom and dad’s house, Mike lived there with Amanda his new wife. It was Tuesday night and I had just got off work and had a ton of things to do, most pressing was de boning a roasted chicken and making homemade chicken salad for sandwiches. So I scooped up all the items I needed for the chicken salad and took them with me because I figured while I was visiting, I would get the chicken salad done. But as I started in the house, Mike was coming out the same time with a bag of garbage and there he stood in his shorts and he said, "Sherry, look at my toes". Laughing. I looked and they were painted red! I said "What are you doing wearing polish"? He laughed and said, "Amanda did it and she hid the polish remover." And he laughed again. And I told him he had nice nail beds… lol…. So I go in and start to do the chicken salad process. But first I went and stood in the doorway where Mike was in his room organizing papers and packing up because Amanda and him were moving to their new apartment on Saturday. So we chatted for a few minutes and I got back to my task. So I was just about done when Mike came through the kitchen and saw my big ol’ container of chicken salad…. And he said, "sooooo… whatcha makin’ Sherry?" And I told him… and he smiled real big and I said, "yea, so I can pack some sammies for Hersh’s lunch. But would you like a sandwich, I have plenty." He said, ahhh, now that is okay, but thank you." I then said, "are you sure? I have plenty here." He said, "no that is okay." And he went back to packing in his room. So when I finished with the chicken salad, I hollered in to Mike, and this time I gave one choice… I said, "Mike, you want your bread plain or toasted?" And he quickly answered, and I could tell he was smiling, he said, "toasted, please." So I fixed him a sandwich and took it in to him… and he smiled real big and thanked me. Well about 5 minutes later he came out and said, "Sherry, that was THE BEST chicken salad sandwich I have ever had!" I offered to make him some more for his lunch the next day but he said that was okay because Amanda had packed his lunch already. So, then Wednesday morning, I was feeding my dog and I saw Mikes truck headlights, so I knew he was headed to the park n ride at 70 & Route 13 because he carpooled. And we would both see each other there because I went there as well to carpool with my work friends. But that morning I did not see him because he left a few minutes before I did so I missed him… And…. Just a couple hours later, around 8:15 am that same morning, Mike was crushed to death at the work site. This young man’s death still rocks this family to the core. I don’t think any of us have gotten over it, we just try to get through it. He was a fine young man, we loved him so much. We were all so proud of him. He is sadly missed by all. But Heaven got a wonderful spirit ( with red toe nail polish, lol) and we have an angel that is watching over us. Isn’t it funny, how the memory of that chicken salad sandwich, "toasted please"…. Will stick with me, for the rest. of. my. life. I thank GOD I had that opportunity to see him the evening before he passed away. And until we see each other again, Mike, I love ya, Aunt Sherry.
