Michael Memories

We were sitting at Alexandra's bday dinner with some friends tonight when an iphone addicted friend exclaimed: "Oh my god, Michael Jackson is dead!"

Wow. I think this must be the first death of a life-long pop icon for my generation. Kurt Cobain, yes, but Michael was so much more prolific and has been around since...about as long as I can remember. Here are some of my fave Michael memories:

1. Janice Charles's birthday party in 4th grade. Her dad had gotten a VHS (or was it Beta?) tape of "Thriller" and we gathered to watch it. SCARY! We were screaming, dancing, and singing along. I'm sure you can imagine the effect "Thriller" might have on a room of late elementary school girls; it was like kiddie crack.

2. Also in 4th grade, someone in Mr. Lehman's class at Rolling Ridge Elementary School in Sterling, Virginia was going to the concert and a bunch of us girls spent a day surreptitiously writing love letters to Michael under our desks, replete with heart stickers (and maybe a few unicorns) for her to "throw on the stage" for us. She dutifully took our letters and reported that they were thrown on stage. Sure.

3. Fast forward to my 20's when I did Public Allies--an Americorps Program--in Durham, North Carolina. At one of our leadership retreats, Chuck, one of our fearless leaders, was leading some closing ceremony or something...We were all in a circle holding hands, being serious. He was rambling on about something and then said, "Repeat after me: Mama say (we repeated), mama sa (we repeated), mama ku sa (we repeated and started laughing)." Then Chuck broke into full song and a little dance. LOVED IT.

I have to say, amid all the gossip and total freakishness that surrounded Michael's life since he appeared on my radar, he has never really fallen from star status in my mind. RIP, Michael. Hope you find some peace.