This past weekend at a tailgate before an impressive win over Northwestern (Congrats to JoePa and his 400th victory!), someone mentioned that they had just read an article about me in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. This guy then asked if I knew how many times I have been interviewed. I responded with genuine honesty, that I had absolutely no idea! But that question lingered in my mind, and the answer is quite overwhelming. If I had to guess: about 321 times.
From undergrad students to grad students to columnists from the Centre Daily Times to the most recent, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Then I thought some more about it, and although my wife and daughters have been involved with some of these interviews, they have never actually conducted one by themselves. So this week, for my column, I decided to let them ask me questions—fair game on whatever topic they wanted.
My girls—lovely wife Katie and daughters Marykate and Michaela—narrowed it down to the following topics and questions. These are questions that they felt I have never been asked before. Let the games begin!
On Work
Marykate: What was the best price for a stamp?
MTM: When it was 37 cents. I like numbers and it was fun when a customer would buy three stamps and their total due was $1.11. Six stamps cost $2.22 and nine cost $3.33.
Michaela: Most memorable moment at the University Park Post Office?
MTM: Rally of 2000. When students marched on my behalf from the University Park post office to the downtown post office requesting all of the ‘fun stuff’ as well as all Penn State-themed materials be put back on the walls.
Marykate: Craziest thing you have mailed for someone?
MTM: A coconut. We mailed it to Florida and the recipient received it three days later.
Michaela: Craziest thing you ever personally mailed someone?
MTM: On one of her visits, my sister, Diana, tried teaberry ice cream at the Creamery and loved it. When she went back home to California, she went to her local ice cream place and requested it. He looked at her and said that no such ice cream flavor existed. A couple months later, when she turned 50, I express-mailed her two half gallons of teaberry ice cream from the Creamery (packed with dry ice) and she received it the next day. Diana gave one to the owner of that ice cream place and enjoyed the other one with her family. To this day, she claims that that was her favorite birthday gift ever.
Katie: Anything that surprises you up there on campus?
MTM: I’m totally surprised at the longevity of the cookie-of-the-month contest. We are in the home stretch of its 27th year.
Katie: I love that I’m an unofficial judge!
On Family
Marykate: What is the secret to a successful marriage?
MTM: Is your mother going to read this?! (laughter) It’s a combination of a couple key ingredients. I married my best friend; we communicate, both give 100 percent without reminding each other that we do so and mix it all up with humor—we laugh a lot. That’s my special recipe … and Katie’s a great cook!
Michaela: What’s your favorite thing about Mom?
MTM: Her knees! I have always told her that I was attracted to her pretty knees. But more substantially, her unbelievable upbeat attitude that is unwavering.
Katie: A standout memory/moment of our daughters’ childhood?
MTM: Popsicle stick races! When our family used to live in the borough on Nimitz Avenue and it would rain hard enough, a stream of water would rush down the street against the curb. When the rain started, the girls and I would each eat a popsicle and mark our leftover sticks with a designated color. We would then grab umbrellas and go to the side of our curb and all at once place our sticks in the flow of water. We followed the sticks down our street and whichever sticks passed our designated finish line first won. It was the most fun way to make the best out of a rainy day.
About Penn State
Marykate: This one might be difficult because of all the games you have attended, but any one football game you were at that stands out in particular?
MTM: Nov. 17, 1990. It was my first trip to South Bend, Ind., for the Notre Dame game when they were ranked No. 1. In the closing minutes of the game ,the field goal kicker by the name of Craig Fayak kicked the game-winning field goal for No. 18 Penn State, producing a final score of 24-21! To this day, he is still my favorite Penn State kicker.
Michaela: We have visited the Penn State Creamery umpteen times, and I know that Death By Chocolate used to be your favorite flavor. But now that you no longer eat chocolate, what’s your new favorite Creamery ice cream flavor?
MTM: Butter pecan. And now I’m craving it! Can we pause the interview for an ice-cream run? (As Katie and I leave for the Creamery, the girls decide to continue with the questioning.)
Katie: JoePa has an ice cream flavor: Peachy Paterno. If they were to create a flavor for you, what would you want it to be called?
MTM: That’s a delicious question, Katie! (thinking, thinking, more thinking…) Mike the Mailman Malt!
Getting Personal
Michaela: How old are you?
MTM: I have stopped counting, but I have never stopped celebrating.
Marykate: Do you have a Facebook page yet?
MTM: Negative.
Katie: When we were growing up, I always remember you having a nice car. What has been your favorite car that you’ve owned, and what would be the one car you would like to own?
MTM: My 1954 Buick Skylark. The color was peaches and cream, and I loved when you were seated in the passenger seat. As far as what car I would like to own, I guess maybe a 1955 Thunderbird, but for the record, I’m happy with our Honda.
Michaela: What are some of your hobbies?
MTM: My official title at home is landscaping manager. I also love playing cards with friends and neighbors—last Friday was my night to host our monthly poker night and I’m an avid tennis player.
Katie: Out of all your interviews, what has been the most interesting question?
MTM: One of the people from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette asked me three times if, in fact, I was sure that this was a real post office. He said he never observed so many people leaving a post office smiling!
Marykate: Any fact about yourself that you would like to share?
MTM: It’s a fact that I never thought I would become known as Mike the Mailman or a columnist!
