Our Story

So this is a story all about how, at 14 years of age my life got turned upside down.....

The setting, Truth Hair Studio, Beech Road, Chorlton.

A young (but very good looking) 14 year old Mike walked in with his Mum for a very pretentious short back and sides. Working there at the time was an older (not much though mind you) beautiful auburn haired "sweepstress", dressed in back, donned with a yellow handled, rubber headed broom, foraging away to keep the place neat and tidy for Mark and Ruth. 

Mike dressed in full St Ambrose School uniform, blazer et al, took his place at the hair washing basins and this auburn beauty made her way behind the sink. His life changed. 

Imagine the scenes if you will, 14 years old, full time at an all boys school, forced to be cleansed by a red haired goddess straight after Rugby practice......how could his life not change. 

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This went on for months. He would look forward to the time his combover was too long and the visit to "Truth" on that evening of all evenings, usually just after Rugger practice.....

Not sure this was the same for the Auburn Haired Junior though.....

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A year or two later, Dad then suggested that maybe the £20 short back and sides were not probably best use of Mum's weightwatchers salary and it was back to Deano's butchering styles in Urmston from the age of 16 onwards....his auburn haired princess was gone forever.

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Or was she....?

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Lets accelerate the story on to the late 1990's. The location now - Discotheque Royale's in Manchester on a very fateful Thursday night. Mike was there to spend the night giving  a mate a send off to the US to play for the Cleveland Caps and by about 11.30 was reasonably intoxicated, to say the least. 

Amidst the smoke and dance music of the edge of the dancefloor, Mike felt a tap on his shoulder, which he tried to swat away at least twice....On the third tap Mike turned to be faced with a now older, yet somehow more beautiful same sweepstress he thought he would never see again stood only feet away. As he tried to focus on one of the blurred images ahead of him, he was met with the most beautiful question comment he will ever hear - as Angela spoke to him for the first time. He couldn't wait. What was she about to say to him?  

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"Are you Margaret Bishop's Son" - I couldn't be more deflated and more elated in the same second...but she spoke to me....I was so happy. Dressed in a long black coat, with woolen shoulders, beautiful auburn hair and just an angel - I was dumbstruck. 

I replied with a very lame "Hiya, yeah that's me - How have you been" and the conversation started...I ditched my friends (didnt really like em anyhow) and started an ACTUAL dialogue with this beautiful woman. 

Spin on fifteen minutes and I'm still managing to keep her interested, so I thought why not eh? I'll ask her for he number and take that chance. 

Back then, when there were no mobile phones or Instagram, you had to ask for a physical land line number. 0161-881-8586 was the number she gave me - the number to "Truth" not her house. But it didn't matter, I knew I could get hold of the Auburn princess one more time at least. 

I took out a business card from Jonny Roadhouse Music and wrote down the digits that would change my destiny forever. I looked up and she was smiling, this was such a win. Now for the name. 

Just add the name Michael - what is her name? 

I couldn't move, paralyzed by fear of getting this wrong.....Claire, Amber, Chloe....nope not that - WHAT WAS IT? 

She waited and waited for me to get it right. 

I apologized and told her I was drunk and it was no reflection on her that I didn't know. She smiled and told me that her name was Angela, like from the Angel's and the relief was instant. 

"Yep that was the next name I would have said " - (BS). 

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26 Years Later and we are here. 

Been through so much together. Two wonderful, perfect children in Charlotte and Max and so much to look forward to. 

I feel like I have lived as perfect a life as I could have - and it would have been possible without you, Angel by my side. 

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So on the 13th December, I get to live out my dream. Marrying the auburn sweepstress that I always believed was out of my reach and never would have entertained that goofy, awkward 14 year old back in 1990. 

But here we are - and we continue this perfect journey...

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Together Forever and Always 

Mike and Angela (I think)

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