My earliest memories of Glen and Mike return to a time just after James Dean; with his slicked back ducktail hairdo,leather jacket, and tough guy look! To an era just before the Ozzie and Harriet family style show. A period where clean cut and well groomed was the norm, and blue jeans and long hair belonged only to the rebellious youth. Glen was the quiet type who broadcasted a mischievous smile like a Neon billboard. A type of stare that meant something unusual was going on in his mind. Something that indicated he was up to no good. I am sure we all remember someone just like him. Mike on the other hand wore a foregone look that projected he could easily be persuaded to do something he would probably regret. He usually did. Glen was quick to spot that attribute.
A better way to understand the two personalities might be by example. Mike and Glen lived in a housing complex that contained blocks and blocks of boxcar apartments, with a rat maze of sidewalk and tiny yards that could be cut with a pushmower after three or four swipes. The apartments didn't follow any particular sort of pattern; some went North and South-- some went East and West. It was like a tiny city lying within the confines of a much larger one. A World all its own where your parents only ventured out to work or the grocery store and quickly returned.
Glen and Mike lived across from each other and next door to Mike lived old Mrs. Harrison. A Widow for who knows how long to the GM (Glen and Mike) connection. Mrs. Harrison did not particularly like the GM connection either. They were usually in her yard, or cutting through it so often they had created a path of dead grass clearly outlined. A path that angered Mrs. Harrison everytime she stepped into her postage stamp front yard.
Then came that fateful day when Glen found a wiffleball bat discarded in a neighbors garbage. Of course he had an idea that would influence Mike into an action Glen often daydreamed about.
Waiting for Mike to come out and play, Glen rushed across the sidewalk to walk alongside of him--and wrapped his arm behind Mike's neck and nestled his hand on Mike's opposite shoulder.
"Hi Pal" Glen said with a huge grin on his face. " I saw ole lady Harrison talking with your Dad last night".
"With my Dad!!!" Mike quickly replied with a puzzled stare.
"Yup" Glen acknowledged. "She was standing there shaking her finger at your Dad. He didn't look too happy either."
"Oh No" Mike muttered trying to remember what in the World had he done.
"You know Pal" Glen continued patting his shoulder, "I found a new wompum stick you ought to practice your baseball swing with. A level swipe through the Witches flowers. Heh Heh! You know the ones she's growing for the fair next month."
Mike figured he was probably going to get a spanking for something he couldn't remember, so he quickly accepted the plastic bat and carried it in hand through the remainder of the morning.
Later after lunch, still very worried about what Mrs. Harrison had told his father, Mike went outside the apartment and quickly discovered Mrs. Harrison bent over watering her prize flowers. I mean she was bent over at the waist with her arms hanging in front weeding and watering the flowerpot. She was totally engrossed in her nuturing. Mike's eyes widened as he stared at her butt-- then down at the wifflebat-- then back to her butt-- then back down to the wifflebat, and without further ado he crept ever so quietly, like a little church mouse, and snuck up behind Mrs. Harrison. The old lady never saw or heard him coming. She just stood there bent over continuing with her passion.
Standing behind Mrs. Harrison about an arms length, Mike quietly licked the palm of his right hand while he pinched the bat between his legs. Then he licked the palm of the other hand, and like a man with a mission, gripped the bat tightly and steadied it behind his right side. He swung with all his might and hit the homer of a lifetime! Square on the butt of Mrs. Harrison! I was three or four apartments away and watched in shock and disbelief at the contorted look on her face during that moment of impact. A meeting of plastic and butt which could be heard two blocks away. A look that instantly turned to stark terror!!!!!!!!!! "SMACK" the contact echoed against the apartment brick, immediately followed by "YEEEEEEEEEOWWWWWWWWWWWWWL" and an abrupt fall over the flowers from the force of the impact. She turned and rolled off them quickly with her hands rubbing her butt cheeks as she caught sight of the screen door on Mike's apartment slamming and a hastily thrown bat rolling across the yard.
We didn't see Mike for over two weeks after that! The flowers survived but always had a leaning, half bent look about them. Glen always contended he never told Mike to do that??? Mike however knew a payback was in order.........