What a character - from the age of 5 he was the cheeky chappy from Silverdale in Fleet the gap-toothed grinner who was known to us as Mickey and to his parents as Mike. We rubbed along in the same classes at both junior school and secondary school - never too close but never too separate - and of course we served together. And what service - in the 10th Odiham Cub Scouts Saxon Pack no less - and we played football for them on Saturdays. At cubs Mickey earned the affectionate nickname of "Burglar Mackin". Not because he was a burglar but because he had natural cunning, little fear and bare-faced cheek. Even as a young lad he was streetwise and bold and always quick on the uptake - and a ready wit. 'Taking the Mickey' - might well have been named after him. Not the tallest of lads he punched above his weight with his bravado and his daring. Mickey/Mike was bold and resourceful - as a child he would hide in the darkest bits of the woods when others were too afraid, he was the one at the top of the scaffolding on the building site when we wouldn't dare, or, he was lighting the best and biggest fires so that we could watch the woods burn and the fire brigade in action. In his teens Mike had wild hair and wild times - he mirrored his idol, George Best. As an intelligent lad Mickey/Mike had little regard for those who were slower than he and he did not suffer fools gladly. Some teachers bore his ire - not least when he became bored -Mr Elmer the music teacher got locked in his own store cupboard. The school all stood in the wet & cold more than a few times after he'd let the fire alarm off AGAIN! Mickey was fascinated with danger and could've written the dangerous book for boys because he lived it. In the science labs I remember he was the first to discover that lighting a gas tap at source (as opposed to the proscribed method trough a bunsen burner) made a very entertaining flame thrower. Through it all Mickey was a charmer, no sooner had he sinned than he had apologised and he was forgiven - who could resist that brazen grin, those honeyed words, his softly infused northern tones - MM was his brand - Mischief his epithet - charm was his lubricant. And then....he somehow just outgrew school and left us behind - he was too clever, too mature and too impatient and things were too dull and too slow for him - Mickey had his sights on other things and the world beckoned. He wanted to go where others were too scared to go. Bright lights, shiny things and fun drew him to them. A natural entrepreneur and a raconteur to boot. In later life I knew him least well but I reckon I still knew him - we swapped cards and tales and the occasional beer - he could always be relied upon to tell a good story. Not many men become a legend in their own lifetime - Mickey Mackin the loveable rogue -who struck fear into the hearts of the dull and boring - and I will never forget him.