In Memory of Mike Royko (1932-1997))

This morning I was thinking about the late Mike Royko, long-time columnist and humorist for the Chicago Tribune and other Chicago papers and 1972 Pulitzer Prize winner.

I lived in Chicago from 1965-1970 and enjoyed his columns. His targets were politicians, lawyers, bad cops, tow truck drivers and anyone else who cheated the public. 

When I was preparing to move from Chicago in 1970, I called Mike. He answered his phone with a gruff, "Yeah?" I told him that I had enjoyed his columns and was moving to Denver, where I probably would no longer find his columns. At the time I thought he sounded like an old man; he wasn't. He would have been about 38, only a few years old than I. 

I remember thinking that Mike sounded close to tears at the end of my call. I doubted then that very many people had ever called to thank him.

Perhaps I'll finally buy his book and learn whether some of my blogposts might get close to his writing style.