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"This is why I don't smile. Because it's just a invitation into boring people's lives."

Michael "Mike" Bartholomew Heck Jr. (born April 1963) is Frankie Heck's husband, and the father of AxlSue, and Brick Heck. He is the manager of an unnamed quarry in Orson, Indiana. (His company's softball team wears shirts that read "Orson Limestone" so this might be the quarry's name, but it's never mentioned in the show.) Mike is known for his straightforward, practical attitude and his tendency to be a social recluse.

His inability to process his emotions is made into key plot points several times. However, his rather dull and bland personality merely acts as a shell to cover his true, fun-loving, soft-hearted side.

Relationships[]

Mike pursued Frankie when they were younger and at first, she did not like him and even lied about what her name was to avoid him. Despite a short period where they broke up while dating, they have been together since their first date. It has been said on several occasions that Mike's favorite film is Reservoir Dogs and he only asked Frankie out on a second date because she lied and said she also liked the film.

Mike and Frankie bicker about a lot of things involving their children. According to Mike, Frankie isn't "young and shiny looking" anymore. Frankie tries to get Mike involved in social activities, as being social is not his strong suit (which he possibly passed onto his youngest son, Brick). Frankie also has invited a neighbor over to hang out with Mike, and when Mike found out, he got angry because Frankie told this new neighbor that Mike was shy, and also told them personal stories about Mike's family. Mike considered Frankie chatty in his pro and con chart to marry Frankie. When Frankie finds the chart, she freaks out when the chart has more negatives than positives, and one of the unfinished positives didn't say what she was great at. Frankie made a similar one for Mike having an incomplete one which led to an argument. Mike surprised her with a special anniversary gift even when they agreed not to get anything. Years ago, on their honeymoon, Mike took Frankie camping which was terrible, according to Frankie.

Family[]

Mike has 3 kids but favors Axl because of his shared love of sports. Mike also pays the most attention to Axl and yells at him about his grades. When Axl went away to college, he wouldn't text Frankie but would text Mike which made Frankie annoyed and stressed out. Mike often forgets about Sue which makes her feel left out, as illustrated when Mike didn't know the name of her workplace or what her JPLA meant. Brick is forgotten all the time by both Frankie and Mike. Mike got Brick into basketball by having him read up on facts and find his favorite 3-syllable words.

Mike's reclusive, non-affectionate father Big Mike and Mike's well-meaning, but unreliable and unsuccessful brother Rusty, both live in Orson. In the middle of season 2, the two move in together, as Big Mike recovered from a broken hip and Rusty needed a more permanent living space as he had been living in a tent ever since his house burned down. 

Mike's mother died when he was a teenager. It was revealed in the Season 8 episode, "Clear and Present Danger," that she died at the age of 42 due to lung cancer. Mike has said that she enjoyed singing and dancing in the kitchen, and that when he was young and if he would play in the kitchen while his mom washed the dishes, she'd bend down to Mike and let him blow the bubbles out of her hand. Mike's mother was also a third grade, then later fifth-grade teacher, who once substituted for his class when he was in elementary school.

Appearance[]

Mike is very tall, around 6'5". He towers over essentially every character on the show. He always wears a plaid shirt with jeans, a leather belt, and a pair of boots.

Personality[]

He is known for his straightforward manner and emotional stability. Mike works at the quarry as the manager, and despite his no-nonsense approach to work and family, he is a devoted and understanding husband and father who always seems to come through for Frankie and the kids.

Mike secretly loves cats, which he hides his affection from his family. Mike found a stray cat at the quarry and named it Limestone. The cat later died in Mike's arms. Mike was sad and affected by this but didn't like to show his emotions. In a later episode, Sue made a video by interviewing Mike's family and friends about Mike for his birthday, his co-worker Jim said that one time he came into Mike's office and saw Mike watching a video of a cat befriending a bunny. Mike quickly turned the TV off after that, again, not wanting to show his softer side.

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