Michael Jackson died today. While he became possibly the most eccentric person on the planet in recent years, you can never forget that he was called the "King of Pop" for a reason. The depth and breadth of his work - from his years with the Jackson Five to his solo work - will remain among the best works of art ever created.
I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but ...when I was in elementary school, I was a HUGE Michael Jackson fan. I even had a poster of him on my door, which really said something - that's the only performer's poster I ever had. There he was sporting a pale yellow sweater vest looking like a preppy college student.
I'd look at the poster and be reminded of all those wonderful tunes that made me want to moonwalk.
At the height of his popularity, I went to a gifted-and-talented program once a week, and the coolest teacher ever - Mrs. Garrett (way hipper than the one on the Facts of Life) - had a Michael Jackson center in her classroom. We could earn Michael Jackson stickers for our folders, if we completed all the assignments at the station. (You know I earned mine.) As an added bonus, her class got to watch the making of "Thriller" video, which was so much better than learning about the Mayans or Wall Street.
Now, MJ is gone, which means a part of my childhood is over. I have to wonder if this is what other generations felt on the day the music died or when Elvis left the building for the last time.
So, let's try to remember the little guy singing "I Want You Back" with his brothers and moonwalking into history ... the once and permanent King of Pop ... Michael Jackson.
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