Mike and I have been friends since we were in the first grade together. He became my best friend when he became my neighbor two years later. We grew up together a few miles out of Ramona, hiking and exploring the hills, canyons, and woods around us, building dams in the creek in the summer so we could wade in the water, and forts for us to hang out in. In our teens we would sneak booze from his parents and go out to our secret spots in the hills and get drunk, smoke, and dip snuff. Nasty habits all of them. It is probably because I got sick from these things in my early teens that I didn't carry them into my adult life (like Mike did). Like any true best friend Mike was good at getting me to do things and get me into trouble. Fortunately I was good at getting out of trouble!  I probably would have been a different person if Mike hadn't gone to stay with his Dad in San Francisco during High School.  We lost contact for a while, but got back in touch when he moved back to Ramona several years after graduation.  Mike works in construction, and I have helped him out and worked for him on a few jobs (enough to know that I am not a carpenter!). I was the best man at his first wedding, which sadly didn't last long. I missed his wedding with Allison. A wonderful woman with a beautiful daughter named Victoria who Mike loves as much as if she was his own daughter.  Mike met Allison over the internet. She is from Columbus Ohio. She came out to San Diego for Mike, but didn't like it here so Mike moved out to Ohio for her several years ago.  I miss Mike a lot, but we stay in touch through email and over the phone. Mike has his first child with Allison, a son that they have named Austin.

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