dropping like flies

It seems we are surrounded by death lately. Ed McMann, Farrah, Michael, Fred Travalena and Billy Mays..... also some actress from the 50's. She was like 87 so that wasn't so bad.

Farrah had cancer, Ed McMann was old. Fred Travalena also had cancer....
But Michael and Billy?

Billy wasn't anyone I grew up listening to. (Thank God because he did get on my nerves a bit.)
Michael on the other hand.....he will be missed. I loved the Jackson Five as a kid and as a teenager listened to Off The Wall and Thriller about a million times.

The discos in Madrid were filled with his music. The dance floors were full whenever his or Maddona's music started to play. Even though he started getting weird by 1987, I still loved his music. Most of all, I loved watching him perform as a kid. He was so smooth. Sung with his heart and never missed a step.

Living in Spain, there wasn't much on TV we as Americans could watch. We depended on VCR and video taped movies or shows from the U.S.
We had some friends who's family had taped the Motown 25th Anniversary show where Michael performed that famous moon walk. They mailed it to them and it was passed around and around. Everyone I knew wanted to watch that video.

Though I already knew about his death, when NPR officially announced it on WUSF 89.7 I felt sick to my stomach and cried. I still was in shock and couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was like a very bad dream.

I did not know of his addiction to painkillers. I don't even recall him to going to Rehab as I read in the news following his death. I guess I wasn't paying attention.

I always told my son, "Michael was the man when I was a teenager". My son loved playing the guitar solo in Beat It. There were many times I would come down the hall to hear him rocking out in his room playing that song.

I am disappointed we will never find out if his "comeback" would have truly been a comeback. I hope if there is a heaven Michael, John and George are up there comparing notes and making music together.