There's One in Every Family...

There's one in every family.. or so I've been told. One of those rough-around-the-edges, hard-to-understand, easy-to-take-for-granted, and easy-to-love kind of guys. Matt's uncle Mike passed away and I found out during my second English class of the day via email from Matt. I did the math and figured that it was far too late (or early) for an April Fool's Day joke. I was beyond shocked and still am.
I remember the first time I met Mike. We were playing poker at his dad's place in Nahant. Mike was rude and crude and dirty. (So was Matt's dad, Rick). I didn't take to him right away, but it didn't take long for him to grow on me. I made sure Matt and I remembered him on his birthday, Christmas, and especially Father's Day. I felt especially close to Mike and I think Mike looked at Matt as though Matt was his son, as opposed to his nephew. Matt and Mike got along well and they had a closeness that I found endearing. Mike has been at our house quite a lot lately doing work for us on the basement. He was just here on Sunday working all day on our drop ceiling. It's hard to believe that he won't be back here this weekend to bitch at Matt and I about the way we did the flooring or something else in the basement.
Today I broke down in tears quite a few times... Because I thought about how much I loved Mike as my own uncle. Because I remembered going to visit Mike and his bird, Crackers, in his apartment in Danvers and seeing all these crazy pictures all over the walls - from Seinfeld to bears in Alaska to his wife. Because I thought of how happy Mike will be to be in heaven with his love now. Because I thought how in the world can something so awful happen to someone so young. Because I feel terrible for Matt and his family. And because I'm sad that such a great guy isn't with us any longer... and won't be here for Matt and I's wedding.
In the end, Mike's probably much happier up there, playing poker around some table with people that actually know how to play, with the love of his life behind him. We'll miss him terribly but he'll be with us in spirit always.
If there's such a thing as reincarnation, I'm convinced that he's coming back as a bear... or maybe a moose... but definitely one of those animals that he thought of as his "brothers". In every family, there's one that throws you for a loop - that's odd and different and hilarious and wonderful and, though I don't know all of the Morrisseys, I think Mike was it. We'll miss you Mike.