The first time that I saw himI was running down the stairs past my mom’s bedroom.
The door was open just enough for me to catch a glimpse.
Lighting up the television screen was this man in a black suit, white shirt, and glittery white socks.
He had the most beautiful smile that I'd ever seen.
Our love affair began that day.
It was the summer of 1980.
I was 11.
He was 22.
His name is Michael Jackson.
I haven't been the same since that glimpse.
Michael became an all out obsession.
While all the other kids my age were chasing boys
and doing what is it that kids do,
I was collecting any and everything Michael Jackson.
From bubble gum to buttons, if Michael's face was on it, I had to have it.
It didn't occur to me until sometime later that this was
the same Michael Jackson of the Jackson Five.
I'd watched the Jackson Five cartoon.
They were so huge that you could cut out a 45' record of ‘Rockin’ Robin’
from the back of a box of sugar bear cereal.
I’d watched the Jacksons tv show on channel 7.
My friends and I all had a favorite Jackson.
We’d fight over who was going to marry Michael.
Occasionally, you’d get a few Jermaine and even a couple of Marlon lovers.
I’d seen them on Soul Train.
Michael could get down with the best of them.
But this was something else.
He had evolved.
He'd become magical Michael Jackson
Afro free Michael jackson
Beautiful and
new Michael Jackson.
I began searching to find out what he had been up to the years that I’d missed.
I discovered that he’d been pretty busy.
He’d done the film ‘The Wiz’.
And he’d been recording what has turned out to be
my favorite musical period from the Jacksons.
I call them the Gamble and Huff years.
1975's Moving Violation, 1976's The Jacksons and 1977's Goin Places
are my favorite Jackson albums.
My mom treated me and my best friend to one of my very first concerts.
It was August 18, 1981 and Michael and his brothers were performing
at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
I remember it like it was yesterday.
The first song was Can You Feel It?
Randy came out with a torch to open the show and then suddenly there they were.
It was a life changing experience.
I've seen many concerts since then and NONE have ever been that exhilarating.
I loved when Michael would jump up and down in one spot with the mike in one hand
and a fist for the other.
He skipped around the stage like he owned the world. And he did.
There’s something magical about Michael.
His voice is buttery.
He moves breezy and free.
He's cocoa butter, candy apples and banana splits.
He’s my favorite pair of pro-keds w/the blue and red stripe by the pinky toe.
He's a chewy apple now & later. And when he sings I'm seven again.
The affect that he has on me is almost medicinal.
Whatever is going on in my life…A Michael cd is sure to fix it.
You could be the biggest gangsta in the world,
But you know you had a thriller jacket, a white glove
or at the very least some high water pants.
Your mouth was wide open for about 4 days after you saw Motown 25
because you couldn’t figure out how he got across the stage like that.
You cut school to see the premiere of the Thriller video on MTV.
And yes, that was you and a bunch of your friends doing the Thriller dance
in the middle of your street.
He's changed over the years, yes.
But so have I.
Underneath it all...he's still my Michael.
Fine ass Michael Jackson from Gary, Indiana.
It happens once in every lifetime.
Someone musically comes along that just knocks you off your feet.
In my life, that person is Michael.
From my nana, to my children, there's something about him that moves the masses.
Michael is simply the best to ever do it.
And Neyo, Usher, Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown
need to send Michael flowers and a check thanking him for showing them the way.
"Thriller" is more than 25 years old and it is arguably better than anything out now.
Michael is 50 yrs old today.
I'm 39.
And our love is going strong.
I love you Michael Jackson.
You are still the King !!
