Stafford's Getting Hitched

May 26, 2011 @ 12:45

It's been a week to reminisce on CanadianThinker this week, but it's not all sad. Losing Pete Griffin is a big fat bummer, but on the flip side there's a happy story.

Hell has frozen over. Mike Stafford is getting married.

I'll be honest, I never thought it would happen, but you know what they say, better late than never.

Within the last three months, Mike has met and proposed to a wonderful woman and they plan to get married next spring. I haven't met Mike's fiancé but I look forward to it. She lives just north of me in the Caledon Hills and I'm hoping that one day while bouncing back and forth between there and Mike's downtown condo, they stop in.

I've know Stafford for over 30 years now, and although we only worked together in the same building for a grand total of 10 years, we've never lost touch and we continue to have a unique relationship.

I don't think I'm stepping over the line or talking out of bounds by saying that in some respects I've been a big brother to Mike. I gave him advice and guidance, while he reciprocated with profound humour and irreverence.

In the early years I witnessed him plow through girlfriends like he really believed there was no tomorrow.

The girls liked Mike. He was young, talented, somewhat famous and good looking.

I would council Mike through some of these relationships, often recommending that the newsroom of CFNY was not the best place for late night intimacy... especially on my desk.

Mike seemed to like women, lots of them, but he never seemed to love one. He was quite particular and I imagine that's why he's remained a bachelor all these years.

Mike came to my wedding, he was my first guy friend to learn that my wife Delyse was pregnant. He was at the hospital the day Melanie was born and he became a very close friend of my family, including my parents who welcomed him into their Milton home on many occasions.

He has played a significant part in my life and that's why I feel so good for him today.

When I think of all the joy my family has brought to me, I feel for those middle-aged people who never did the family thing. I often thought about Mike in this light. How can you be 50 years old and not have someone to come home to or kids to worry about?

Well that's all about to change for Mike next spring. He's going to be a husband and a step-dad to two young boys.

I t took awhile, but after all these years he's finally going to feel it and I'm sure he'll be great at it.

Holy fuckin' cow. Mike Stafford is getting hitched!