Pass the Mic with Michael

Michael* is a Sinatra fan and Maryland transplant with advice for retirees on how to stay active.

I’m from Long Island, originally. I happened to grow up in a very nice area, right on the water—boating, skiing, everything. In school I was into everything, drama, ice hockey, soccer. That’s how I got these wonderful knee problems I have now!

At my high school reunions a lot of us say we didn’t know how good we had it.

I met somebody after college, got married, came to Maryland. We had a daughter—an exceptional child. She was a cheerleader, graduated summa cum laude. Her mother and I are divorced now, but we were married for over 20 years. My ex-wife has helped me through thick and thin, and we’re still very, very close friends. We just fell out of love. I don’t know how people get divorced and just hate each other.

She was the one, when I needed a place to go, who called all over and found me a place at Helping Up Mission. She picked me up and drove me there. And to be honest, we were both nervous when we saw the place. But it’s really a blessing, the Mission. I lived there for 12 months, three meals a day, and graduated from their program, which not a lot of people do. They’re how I first got connected with Health Care for the Homeless.

My time there, I think it made my behavior towards people expand. I learned to get along with all different kinds of people. I don’t look down on anyone with past drug problems, alcohol problems, different lifestyles. I learned to find everybody interesting in their own way.

It’s hard to believe it but that was almost ten years ago now. I found a place to live with someone I met at the Mission. Now, I’m just enjoying retired life. I spent all my career in medical sales—on the road, hospital to hospital, sometimes up at 6 in the morning and in the operating room about four times a week. It was a brutal job, but it paid off.

It would be very easy for me to go sit on a couch and watch TV all day. That’s not what I want. I tell everyone before they retire to get together a routine: you have to have hobbies. I’m a social person; I like to walk around Baltimore.

I love when I can see my daughter. I spend a lot of time in Fells Point or I go to the Inner Harbor, catch a movie.

One thing I won’t be modest about—I can sing. I love karaoke, especially Frank Sinatra. I used to do Christmas caroling every year, going around with the band on a truck.

But my knee has really gotten in the way of all that. I was out of commission with my leg last summer, in and out of the hospital, physical rehab. I use a cane now, and I’ve had continuous operations. Not to make a joke about it, but I’m on my last leg.

I’m working with my doctors here to try to get back to my routine. They’ve played a big role in my life—my occupational therapist Dan; Dr. Brannon, who helped me get my dentures.

It’s a rude awakening when you don’t have dental insurance and you need dental work. A place like this is golden, you know? I had been trying to get these dentures for a while; my teeth, I just grinded them away.

For a while I was going with no teeth and I was very conscious of it, I thought everybody noticed. And they really didn’t, except for when I pointed it out. I’ve noticed a big change with my dentures now. I’m very happy with them.

My daughter got engaged recently, and one of my goals was to have my dentures in time for the wedding. Now I want to get my knee fixed so I can walk her down the aisle.

*Michael is a pseudonym

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“Pass the Mic” is a storytelling space featuring the voices and stories of people with a lived experience of homelessness.