Remembering Mike – my best pal

[OldTimer1955]

Mike died 3 years ago tomorrow. I met Mike at a school reunion, he happened to hear me mention that I had been fostered and we got talking because he had been fostered like me. He had lived with a foster family near the Ancient Briton pub in St Albans but as he was in the year above me I didn't know him before the reunion. He was a good pal to me and I hope I was a good pal to him. He and I swapped letters and then emails for over 30 years.

I counted up all the letters and emails Mike sent me and it came to nearly 900. When he realised he was really ill he got somebody to photocopy all the emails and letters I had ever sent him. He then sent them to me as a surprise birthday present. So then I did the same thing for him and I think he managed to read most of what I sent him before he died from liver problems. This was a nasty shock because he had been given 1 to 2 years by the doctors but only lasted 9 weeks.
I have just reread all the letters I sent him and although some of them are fairly boring lots still make me laugh and a very few make me quite sad even after so many years. He helped me sort out my wife’s funeral and that was typical of the man he was. I think he deserved better than he got from his life. Hardly anybody made the effort to go his funeral. There were less than ten of us there.

[Mojito100]

My sympathies at your loss. Having such a friend makes the loss even harder to bear.

[LittlePink]

Its so hard looking back at all the old messages, I can imagine it must be very painful gong back over them all. I just lost my dad 10 days ago and it is sad going over things he wrote and looking at presents he gave. Im sure mike would have been so happy you went to his funeral though and will always be around you in spirit.

[OldTimer1955]

I will be thinking of Mike at the school reunion tomorrow. I will treat myself to pint in his honour like we did long ago!!

He would be pleased that I am retiring so that I can get remarried. He would have been a good husband but never got the chance.

[Mehrida]

It sounds like going to the reunion and having a few pints would be a fitting tribute. I hope it goes well and your new marriage is a long and happy one.