Song of the day: Message to Michael - Dionne Warwick

"Spread your wings for New Orleans...Kentucky bluebird... fly away
And take a message to Michael, message to Michael...- Dionne Warwick"

The time: Thirty years ago...1979.
The setting: Still living at home with Mom and Dad, my sister and I on a sunny Saturday morning...dressed in old clothes, dustrags in hand, and with colorful scarves tied up around our heads.

My younger sister and I were reluctantly going about our usual weekend clean up routine. To help pass the time, we turned on the record player. Most popular song at the time? "Rock With You", by Michael Jackson; and guess what folks?... we had the 45 rpm single! My sister had set the turntable playing arm away from the record. For the benefit of you young ones who don't know what this means...This is what is done to activate the 'repeat' option. And so, for the next few hours, the song played over and over and over...non-stop, at maximum volume, while we slowly went about our business of cleaning; occasionally taking some time out to do a few dances in between chores.

"In search to find wealth and fame
I hear Michael has gone and changed his name"

At the time, Daddy worked evenings, and so he was upstairs sleeping after pulling a long night at the Post Office. Daddy was (is) a patient man; but after about the millionteenth playing, he had had enough of Michael Jackson; and so came flying down the stairs in his underwear (briefs), holding his ears with both hands. "Rock with you! Rock with you!" he shouted, "I'm tired of hearing it!". He tore into the sunroom, snatched the needle up from the record player, and then unceremoniously ran back upstairs again. Perhaps, in another household, this would have left the kids terror-stricken. In our particular household, Daddy seldom got mad...and so this caused my sister and I to laugh so hard that tears ran down our faces. As we each lost control of a particular bodily function, this only served to make us laugh even louder. We talk about it, even up until this day; and relate the story to whoever will listen.

"Message to Michael, message to Michael
Tell I miss him more each day
As his train pulled out down the track"

Fast foward many years later: I have my own child. Through my love of music, he has become quite familiar with old songs and music legends of times gone by. My son also likes to play a video game called "Plants vs. Zombies". (I do too) At one of the stages in the game, a Michael Jackson-like character appears. He is appropriately dressed in a red leather jacket, trimmed in black and dripping wet curls around his forehead. Make no mistake about it...the likeness is striking! Accompanied by a dozen or so zombies, he does a little moonwalk dance as he inches up to the player's house. The object of the game is to 'zap 'em' all before the house is invaded. It is a fun game. I begin to think how amazing it is that one person had such an ability to bridge generations in such fun and unique ways.

"Oh tell him how my heart just breaks in two
Since he'd journied far"

I was told of his death while I was at work. My co-worker gazed around her monitor and whispered the news to me. The early evening sun was still up in the sky as I walked out and made a quick phone call to my sister. Her phone rang. Before I could say anything, she answered it with the words: "I know...I was waiting for your call". We chatted for about thirty seconds and I went back to work. You know, I have never been one for idolizing celebrities, but have to admit that this particular one has had a huge part in creating unforgettable memories for us all; and for this I thank him.

"Come on,come on,come on, home tonight
Take it, take it, home tonight
All the lights will be shining home tonight"

Can you believe it? Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett gone at the same time...who would have thunk it...

In the meantime, another year has come around. It is summer again. The blackberries are almost ready to be picked...again. Time is passing quickly.