Today my husband John would have been 73yrs old. So many years lost as he was only 39 yrs when he died. As I looked at his photo on the sideboard this morning, I thought I would share a couple of memories.
 |
| John McMichael |
One thing John can be remembered for was his sense of humour and his love of practical jokes. Maybe went a little far at times. For example the time he invited people to a house warming party and they all arrived to find that the house was still being built. My embarrassment was that as I called into the bar later on and everyone was sitting not looking too happy but still presented me with a beautiful house warming gift of a crystal vase. I was mortified but John thought it was hysterical ... and had forgotten to tell them it was a joke! Of course, we did follow up with a good party but it was strange that invites were only accepted from me!
Also, I know that some of his friends on Facebook can remember John “The Thinker”....? He would walk into a room and it was obvious he was still in a thought process ... So social interaction was out until this was finished! He just stood in the middle of the room and was oblivious to any greeting, etc until this process was finished. It really freaked my Mum out the first time he did this but she got used to it and at one point just vacuumed around him! I remember going into UDA Headquarters in East Belfast and Hester who worked in the reception told me he had walked in earlier and had just stood staring at the security monitor which looked onto to an empty street for 30 minutes! She wisely just let him be.
Also ... dress sense!! This was not the best – I remember the time he “thought” he could buy clothes on his own and came back with two pairs of trousers, one bright red and the other a sickly lemon! He was sent back to the shop with them, lol!
When the Admiral Benbow Pub reopened, He thought it would be a great idea to hold a treasure hunt with a prize. As the Pub name was taken from the book Treasure Island, that seemed like a good idea ... only the mischievous John came into play and he told a few of the customers that he was going to bury a pirate's flag on an island in Lough Erne and whoever found it would win £1000! We had to explain to him that a load of UDA men on boats in Lough Erne landing on islands with spades might just alert the security forces! Can you imagine?…
“Well, what are you boys doing here”?
“Ach Sergeant, we are just looking for a wee fleg”!
“What, an Ulster fleg”?
“No, sure it’s a wee pirate’s fleg; we have a treasure map from John McMichael”!!
Ahh, just some memories that made me smile this morning!!
Never forgotten X.
Also, I know that some of his friends on Facebook can remember John “The Thinker”....? He would walk into a room and it was obvious he was still in a thought process ... So social interaction was out until this was finished! He just stood in the middle of the room and was oblivious to any greeting, etc until this process was finished. It really freaked my Mum out the first time he did this but she got used to it and at one point just vacuumed around him! I remember going into UDA Headquarters in East Belfast and Hester who worked in the reception told me he had walked in earlier and had just stood staring at the security monitor which looked onto to an empty street for 30 minutes! She wisely just let him be.
Also ... dress sense!! This was not the best – I remember the time he “thought” he could buy clothes on his own and came back with two pairs of trousers, one bright red and the other a sickly lemon! He was sent back to the shop with them, lol!
When the Admiral Benbow Pub reopened, He thought it would be a great idea to hold a treasure hunt with a prize. As the Pub name was taken from the book Treasure Island, that seemed like a good idea ... only the mischievous John came into play and he told a few of the customers that he was going to bury a pirate's flag on an island in Lough Erne and whoever found it would win £1000! We had to explain to him that a load of UDA men on boats in Lough Erne landing on islands with spades might just alert the security forces! Can you imagine?…
“Well, what are you boys doing here”?
“Ach Sergeant, we are just looking for a wee fleg”!
“What, an Ulster fleg”?
“No, sure it’s a wee pirate’s fleg; we have a treasure map from John McMichael”!!
Ahh, just some memories that made me smile this morning!!
Never forgotten X.
 |
| Shirley McMichael is a Pagan. |
Funny I was just thinking back when I met his son Gary a few years back in the Benbow (gone now) while I was having a pint with a mutual friend. He came across amicable. His dad's document is an interesting work of it's time. This is the link to it if anyone would like to read it.
ReplyDeletehttps://cain.ulster.ac.uk/issues/politics/docs/commonsense.htm
Glad you are remembering the good times Shirley.
It was said that a certain law professor at Queens University had a hand in drawing up that document.
ReplyDeleteTrimble certainly did.
DeleteThinking of you my wonderful friend. X
ReplyDelete