Friday, June 8, 2012
Although I knew OF Mike from a very young age (we both played at the Canal Ave. Park and Pigtown, and went to St. Joseph's School and CCHS) we really didn't get to know each other until the late 1980's when the bar at 351 4th St in So. Troy opened as 'Sidelines'. Mike and I became part of a large group of Sidelines' regulars and eventually became friends. We'd reminisce about the old days growing up in So. Troy..we only lived a block or two apart. Our Moms were PTA friends, and we each had an older brother in St. Joe's class of 1960 and a younger sister in the class of 1969. Mike was meticulous in his appearance, he always looked dapper and every hair was in place. Every year or so I'd ask him if he had a hair weave and he'd answer noncommitedly, and we would both laugh. I still don't know if he had a weave! I remember Mike's 50th birthday: a group of us took him to dinner at Deacon Blue's. On my 50th, I was shocked when Mike and a few other guys joined a group of us ladies in a limoed overnight to Foxwoods. Of course it made much more sense when I discovered the guys had brought their golf clubs. When I think of Mike I will always recall his 'GOT2PLAY' license plate; the big smile; his loving the fact that he was SO Irish, and sitting at Sidelines, arms folded, engrossed in a televised golf tournament. And God help anyone who tried to change the channel! We were both NYS employees and every once in a while Mike would ask me...'Les, did you work hard for the people today?' I think he was seriously asking and so I always tried to honestly answer. We were both long time employees and so I knew what it was like to start a job, as Mike did, at a very young, idealistic age, when life is full of possibilities and the sky's the limit....then to retire from that job in the very late summer of our years, somewhat jaded by the limitations of life's realities. Many years ago, Michael promised to teach me how to shoot pool when we were both retired. I'm going to hold him to that promise. God Bless You, Mike Harrigan.
