I was surprised, but I shouldn't have been, because that's who you were. But damnit, Mike, you had a present for me. When I got there, we'd not talked about exchanging gifts or anything like that at all.
We did a Christmas movie marathon years ago, 2017, where we watched the insanity that was Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas, the Star Wars Christmas Special, and a few other very random Christmas movies. and for as much as he loved them, it was always clear that more than anything, he loved his friends even more. From comics to movies to games to Saints Row. His passion was palpable and infectious for everything he loved. We shared so many interests in common, and our small group chat where we'd geek out about horror movies, especially after I moved and still haven't found a dedicated horror crew, were highlights on the days new messages appeared, because it was guaranteed to be Mike telling us about some new, obscure horror film that we all needed to watch. Mike was one of the best of us, and the world is no doubt darker without him in it.
He'd known for some time that it was a battle he was ultimately going to lose, so many of us did as well. One of my Volition besties, Mike Watson, passed this morning after battling cancer for well over a year.
