Harlan and Mike have been friends for years. They met on a very short yellow bus that used to pick them both up for school when the Felchers lived in Baltimore. Mike got dropped off at school and Harlan...well Harlan went someplace else.

Mike still lives with his mother in a 3 story row-house in East Baltimore and, on occasion, visits the Felcher household to sit with Harlan in the kiddie pool, drink lemonade, and stare into the sun.