Mike Morin

I’ve been called a lot of things in my life. I’m “Mike” on radio and public events. “Michael” to most of the women in my life. “Michael Leo!” when I’m in trouble. “Grampy Mike” to a couple of Lady Baba’s grandchildren.

And “Mikey.” So, I chose “Heymikey@aol.com” as my first email handle in 1997. Who could forget the adorable freckle-faced boy eating his bowl of LIFE cereal in those TV commercials?

“Hey, Mikey, he likes it,” was the astonished cry of older kids observing Mikey chowing down on his bowl of LIFE. I accepted that nickname and to this day use a modified version for an updated email address.

So, when I got a call from my new propane provider recently, the Mikey thing became part of an unintended comedy routine. Here’s the set up:

“Mr. Morin, this is XYZ Propane calling to let you know that we have not received a payment on your account since April 6th.” I was not surprised as we are in a new house and I have not received a bill from XYZ. Apparently, an envelope with the invoice was hung on my front door. Either the wind took it or porch pirates made off with it. I never gave it another thought until the call came from a very friendly employee. No threats, no mean tones, just informing. I was horrified and immediately paid with plastic and asked that a copy of the receipt be emailed to me.

“Of course,” the woman assured me. “Just give me a couple minutes and I’ll get it to you.”

Twenty minutes passed, I picked up the phone and was greeted by the same delightful XYZ employee. I informed her that the receipt never got to me and yes, I checked the spam folder.

“Could I get you to read my email address to me,” I asked?

“It’s Heymickey71, right?”

“I see the problem,” I answered. “I’m not Mickey, as in mouse, I’m Mikey as in Life cereal. Heymikey.”

“Ohhhh,” she sighed. I can fix that. Let’s try this again.” We hung up and I waited and waited and waited for an invoice that never came. There was yet another flaw.

“Hi, it’s MICKEY, as in Mouse calling back. I still got nothing in my email. Or spam.” By now it was more funny than annoying. Instead of icloud.com she had gmail.com. Neither of us caught that until another reading of my address. Then I got a concert.

“Hey Mickey, you’re so fine, you’re so fine, you blow my mind. Hey Mickey, Hey Mickey,” came a song into my ear that was made popular by Toni Basil in the early 80s, sung by the employee.

The bill finally arrived at my repaired email address with yet another surprise. At the bottom of the email was a brief video of the Toni Basil Hey Mickey video.

The real identity of this awesome experience is Mandie at Ciardelli Fuel of Milford. You made my day. Best customer service ever.

Contact Mike Morin at mike morinmedia@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @MikeMorinMedia. His column runs the first, third and fifth Sundays of the month.