BATH — Along with what type of wine to serve with lamb (a Stag’s Leap Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon) and his favorite espresso maker (the Nespresso Pixie), Mike Fear can tell you when the U.S. Constitution was adopted, how many members serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, and even who wrote The Federalist Papers .

The answers are, 1787; 435; and Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay, respectively.

The first two stem from his love of all things cooking, as evidenced by his longtime Front Street emporium Now You’re Cooking.

The latter three he learned out of his love for his soon-to-be-adopted country.

At 10 a.m. Friday, the native of England and longtime permanent resident of the United States will formally become a U.S. citizen in a ceremony at Southern Maine Community College.

“It was time,” said Fear, who has lived in the U.S. for 27 years. His wife, Betsy, and two grown sons are citizens as well. “I consider this community to be my home, and I’m very fortunate to live in the Mid-coast here and be part of this community. It makes sense that I become a citizen. I’m committed to this country and this state.”

Fear grew up on a dairy farm in the Cheddar Valley — known for Cheddar cheese — about 20 miles from Bath, England.

After moving to the U.S. 27 years ago, he returned to England three or four times a year to visit until about five years ago, when his parents died. Since then, the trips have slowed, but he still returns to see two sisters, their children and grandchildren.

Fear said he thought now and then over the years about becoming a citizen, but saw no need.

“Every time I would think about it, I would think, ‘I don’t think I can do this. My parents might not think too much of it,’” Fear told The Times Record on Wednesday.

And part of the resistance, he said, “was, are you turning your back on your home country?”

But then his parents died, and he and his wife bought a farm on the Nequasset River in Woolwich. His business, Now You’re Cooking, is 12 years old.

“It’s almost like, ‘This is it. I’m finally here. This is my home,’” he said. “It makes sense for me.”

An added bonus is that Fear will be able to vote in November.

“It seemed like a really good year to vote,” he said, but declined to reveal which way he might cast his ballot.

However, he noted, “One thing that might have deterred me from becoming an American citizen is the partisanship. I think it’s very frustrating that people are so unable to agree to compromise … but not being an American citizen doesn’t make that better. Being a part of the system, maybe you can have some small say.”

Unlike becoming a permanent resident, the process to become a citizen involves answering questions about any affiliation with the Communist party, any terrorist activities and any criminal activities, Fear said.

And he had to answer historical questions, to which he was provided the answers beforehand.

“They give you 100, and they will select 10 (questions) to ask you,” he said. “If you get six correct, you’re all set. I got my first six correct and that was that.”

Fear’s wife and elder son will accompany him to Friday’s ceremony, and he expects a few others he’s invited to attend as well.

Then, “at some point, I’m sure we will crack a bottle of bubbly and probably have some friends over to celebrate,” he said. “We feel really blessed to be in that community. To live in Woolwich and to work in Bath — it doesn’t get any better.”

bbrogan@timesrecord.com

 

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