Mike Dayton - The Tin Man

Mike Dayton – The Tin Man

Who Stole Your Heart

The smile from your face

The innocence the light from your eyes

Who stole your heart or did you give it away
And if so then when and why
Who took away the part so essential to the whole
Left you a hollow body
Skin and bone
What robber what thief
Who stole your heart and the key ------ Tracy Chapman “The Tin Man”
 

I first heard this song back in my college days and loved the imagery and symbolism of all the lyrics; I recommend everyone listen to it. I didn’t know I would meet the real Tinman when meeting Mike Dayton.  The irony of the Tin Man is that he has misplaced his heart, he has lost it somewhere; he has so much love to give, but can’t seem to find the person, place, and time in which to fulfill his destiny. This is how it is with Mike.

I jump out of my car out of driving through the worst New York traffic desperate to make it to Long Island. Standing there waiting for me is my over 6 foot, wiry Tin Man all grins.

“You finally, made it!” he exclaims in that undeniably New York accent that hits me like strong Turkish coffee. You know its coffee, you know what it’s supposed to taste like, but nothing quite prepares you for that strong burst of flavor. That’s how Mike’s accent is. You know he’s from New York, you know what that accent is, but the long vowel sounds assault your ear canals and you realize you’re not in Kansas, or for me the South anymore…  

We joke about it; because in social media, you see people, you read what they post, but you read it with your brain, your voice. If you’re imaginative, you might create a voice for them… you might even make a connection actually speak with them. However, if you are like me, you wait to meet them in person so that you are pleasantly surprised by the nuances of their personalities in life. I make him say a few stereotypical words for me and laugh the whole time.  We fall into an easy pattern of comfortable familiarity of lifelong friends very quickly when he tells me he want to show me his favorite places: a park by a lake, to try real N.Y Pizza, and the Beach. Kindred spirits again I decide immediately.

It is at his favorite spots that I discover the Tin Man. The man that loves passionately: food, family, work, women, and alcohol. Everything that Mike does he does 110%. He works 60 + hours a week, he gives to his family, especially his mother all that he can. He speaks of his heartache and disappointment in his brother. He laments over past relationships. He is verbal, eloquent, thought provoking; he points out different flowers, birds, sights for me to see, all while sipping his wine.

I owe my first foodgasm to Mike. I now understand the Hoopla behind New York Pizza. He asked me what I wanted Sicilian or New York style. I had no clue; I said thick?? That’s obviously Sicilian. He took me to Gino’s. Where this father, son, daughter, operation was going on. Eh, oh, eh, yo, conversation was normal. Mike ordered us two slices of pizza and we sat.

I bit into the square of unassuming dough of ecstasy, and my world as I knew pizza changed forever. Garlic, butter, sweet cream nectar of the gods exploded in my mouth, dough so soft, hot, wet, and full of flavor I literally, not figuratively melted and melded into my booth chair. The fact that the old Italian father was speaking in Italian on the phone behind me made the erotic sensation even better. I had found Nirvana. Mike just laughed at all the facial expressions and sounds I was apparently making.

From there we hit the beach, and the second bottle of wine. The surf and sunset was the backdrop for him to share his heartache. He told me some more of his past relationships, and why he thinks he is doomed to be single. He told me who he is crushing on currently. He feels things so passionately, he is willing to move across the country if a girl would just give him the chance. Hopeless romantic, or hopeful romantic?

We spent a lot of time together that weekend, Mike and I did. I met his roommate, I met the other people in the group at a picnic. I built a lasting friendship with him. I know some of his pain and sorrows and he knows mine. I know that like the Tin Man, Mike has to realize that he has everything he needs, but like the rest of us, he needs to try and shed the past to welcome the future.