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February 13, 2005
"He was like a brother"
I worked with Mike for five or six years at Wieland in Atlanta. We were friends immediately. We had a mutual love for music, sports, movies, and conversation. I remember early on competing with him at who could come to work the earliest and show the most face time. Somehow we both felt face time was critical to the advancement of our careers. We were both single, male, about the same age, this was one of our first “real jobs” and with no girlfriends, heck what else did we have to do. Our building was two floors with no access to the second, (they later installed an elevator). I used to tell Mike that the 2nd floor had a large swimming pool with beautiful women, drinks, and that he should join us sometime.
I love music almost as much as Mike. When I moved to a smaller house I gave Mike a couple of hundred vinyl records. I only kept my copy of Joe Jackson’s “Mike’s Murder” soundtrack. I was never able to find it on CD. Mike and I went to several shows; Vic Chestnut seems to stick out in my mind.
I’m a GA Tech fan and so I took Mike to some football, baseball, and especially basketball games at GA Tech. We also went to the Atlanta Hawks game when Lenny Wilkins broke the record for most wins as an NBA coach. We thought the event would be historic. We were bored to tears by the NBA play. That is the last NBA game I have attended. We went to women’s field hockey, and team handball during the 1996 Olympics. We also went to basketball during the ParaOlympics. I’ll never forget Mike’s Chippewas.
I met my wife Amy while working at Wieland and she also became friends with Mike. Mike came to our wedding in 1996 and he didn’t bring a gift. Slacker! It is funny the things you remember. That was perfect.
Amy & Mike left Wieland about the same time. My first of three children was born shortly thereafter. Once Mike moved we didn’t see him as much. My children and changing jobs kept me pretty busy. We would exchange emails now and then.
There are too many things to list and too much to say. I miss him now and will miss him. He was fun to be around, smart, nice, clever, a good guy, classy, and he had integrity. He was like a brother.
Tim Baker
Posted at February 13, 2005 10:08 PM
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