Mike and I attended Shearer School and Ridgeview and later NHS. I delivered the Napa Register in his neighborhood and knew his parents and brother. I got to know Mike well when we both worked at Food City grocery store as box boys we were both 16. Paul Lightner worked next door at Family Drug Store. Mike and I had a great time trying to equally divide our time between the checkers and became friends with them all. In fact Betty, our favorite checker, and her husband took Mike and I to Juanita's in Boys Hot Springs for a prime rib dinner that was the size of a chuck roast. The story goes that Juanita was a madam in her early years which she didn't deny. The restaurant was an very large and old farm house with the dinning areas in several bedrooms, a parlor, and living room. Juanita, a large lady in a muumuu, would wander throughout the dinning area with a rooster on her shoulder greeting the customers introducing the chicken. We were seated in a "bedroom" with several tables and I remember her saying, "I used to make more money in this room before I turned it into a restaurant." What a character!.
Later when I learned Mike was having serious medical issues I was sure that he would pull through it all. His death was a shock and it was the first time I had a friend pass away. Mike left us way too soon and I will always remember those fun days at Food City, riding around in his Plymouth and the dinner at Juanita's. RIP my friend.
Stephen Younger
Mike and I attended Shearer School and Ridgeview and later NHS. I delivered the Napa Register in his neighborhood and knew his parents and brother. I got to know Mike well when we both worked at Food City grocery store as box boys we were both 16. Paul Lightner worked next door at Family Drug Store. Mike and I had a great time trying to equally divide our time between the checkers and became friends with them all. In fact Betty, our favorite checker, and her husband took Mike and I to Juanita's in Boys Hot Springs for a prime rib dinner that was the size of a chuck roast. The story goes that Juanita was a madam in her early years which she didn't deny. The restaurant was an very large and old farm house with the dinning areas in several bedrooms, a parlor, and living room. Juanita, a large lady in a muumuu, would wander throughout the dinning area with a rooster on her shoulder greeting the customers introducing the chicken. We were seated in a "bedroom" with several tables and I remember her saying, "I used to make more money in this room before I turned it into a restaurant." What a character!.
Later when I learned Mike was having serious medical issues I was sure that he would pull through it all. His death was a shock and it was the first time I had a friend pass away. Mike left us way too soon and I will always remember those fun days at Food City, riding around in his Plymouth and the dinner at Juanita's. RIP my friend.
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