Mike Has a New Alias

Mike has often said that he looks like a lot of people.  All his life he has had people approach him in restaurants and stores with big smiles of recognition assuming Mike is their long lost uncle or the guy who lived down the hall in college or a friend from high school.  He has literally had people argue with him about his identity, quite certain Mike was lying about who he really is.  Well... it has happened again.

From the moment we started the Rick Steve’s tour in Italy there were members of the tour group who thought Mike “sure looked like Rick Steves.”  In fact a couple of them questioned him quite closely thinking perhaps “Rick” was traveling incognito to see how the tours were going these days.  The coup de gras came on the night we were out to dinner with the tour group in Florence.  We were having a wonderful group meal at a restaurant.  Mike got up to take a group picture.  Sounds like our Mike, right?  Of course he was egging everyone on encouraging raised glasses and big smiles.  I’m sure it attracted attention in the next room where the waiters had probably mentioned to a few of them that a “Rick Steve’s Tour” was having a meal in the next room.  A few minutes later a couple came into where we were dining and approached Mike.

“We always use your books when we travel,” they said to Mike holding out their Rick Steve’s Guide to Italy.  “Would you mind signing our book?”

Poor Mike.  He was kind as he could be explaining there had been a mistake and he was not Rick Steves.  That’s when several members of the group chimed in, “What you mean, Rick?  Go ahead!  Sign their book!”  But Mike insisted he could not sign because he is not Rick Steves!

Here’s a picture of Mike in front of the Coliseum and a picture of Rick Steves. Do you think they look alike?