A much better memory comes to mind with the first MJ album I bought with a few bucks I saved. I was 13 and Thriller had just come out. The best of the best in my opinion. Beat It was the sh** back then. I had just gotten my first boom box with a tape deck. All the kids had them but mostly boys who walked down the street with it on their shoulder and base pumping. It was a cool spring nite and my friend Lisa and I were outside testing out my new box. I was giddy with excitement. As I pressed the play button that was the size of a piece of bazooka gum and heard the beat start I grabbed the silver handle. Lisa and I proceeded to strut down the block and around the corner with MJ's Beat It blasting. We thought we were so dam cool. Just us, the music, under the streetlights. I don't remember how many times we circled the development of townhouses where we both lived. I think until my mom came out and yelled to me it was time to come in. It is one of the few memories I have of feeling carefree in my childhood.
My husband and I were in the car yesterday when we heard the news on the radio. I turned the volume up in disbelief. Then I got chills and tears in my eyes. Its not like I knew the guy or anything so I wondered why the tears? As I drove on I thought about that moment on that street with my beat box blasting MJ. It felt as though a part of my growing up was taken away.
My heart goes out to his friends and family as well to those of Farrah and lest not forget Ed. Wow, what a week...
Do you remember the first MJ song you heard? Was it a good memory? Does music jostle you memory? When icons like this die how do you feel?