I guess the man in the mirror was the grim reaper. It was a surreal moment when I turned on the television and listened to reports that Michael Jackson was in a coma. I sat on the edge of my seat, watching; as his life was dangling in front of me like a baby from a 4^th story balcony.

I had just heard the news of Farrah Fawcett’s death 5 minutes earlier and was just finishing up mourning her, when they flashed the MJ headline. At first, I thought it might be another ploy by MJ to be in the spotlight once again. It seemed like every time we forgot about him, a new and strange story popped up. Like the time he told us he purchased the Elephant Man’s bones. Or the time he posed for a picture inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber; claiming it is how he slowed the aging process. And, how can we forget about the kid who cried bad touchie? Whatever the random story was, whenever you started to forget about Michael Jackson, there he was on the news in some fresh, eccentric story.

Whatever MJ news happened in the past, this story seemed to have an eerie feeling to it. It felt strange for a few different reasons. Usually when you see a headline on the news about MJ, it seems to have some sort of humor associated with it. Like, Breaking news: The Lost Boys found in the basement of Neverland Ranch. Or Breaking news: Billy Jean played backwards, says; “I like 8 year olds.” However, this story lacked that little shot of humor that usually is associated with a MJ news worthy event. Instead, this bulletin read something I never thought I would see next to Michael Jackson’s name, “MJ in critical condition.” I was sincerely worried; because this was the first time I have ever heard of MJ’s life ever being in serious danger. Sure, he has had a few close calls. There was the time his hair caught on fire in a taping for a Pepsi commercial. Even more life endangering, was the time we watched him kiss Lisa Marie Prestley on stage  at  the MTV Video Music Awards. However scary and life endangering those  occurrences were, this was the first time you really felt like he might die.

A lot of my friends assumed the same thing. Many of them assumed this  was  some sort of strange joke MJ was playing on all of us. I could tell that is  how they  felt, because I fielded texts from many of them with there best MJ  jokes. Brian  wrote, “He collapsed when he found out Frodo Baggins was to  small to ride the  rides at Neverland.” Jenny wrote, “I think when MJ wakes up  from his coma, there  should just be a bunch of 90 year old Men sitting in  his room naked. That way  when MJ wakes up he thinks he’s in hell.” Ben  added his best zinger; “He went  from the Jackson 5 to the Jackson barely  alive.” Tanya wrote, “If MJ dies and goes  to heaven, do you think god will be  smart enough to keep MJ from being around his little boy?” I probably got 20 texts in a matter of 5 minutes from my friends, trying to tell me there best MJ one liner. That is when I realized how big of a news story this was. Regardless of the validity of the story, this was the first time since 9/11 that so many of the people I associate with paid attention to anything in the news. It made me realize the magnitude of the story, and for that reason a lone, I was glued to my chair for the first time since I heard that N’Sync was breaking up.

Then, the fatal news broke. MJ was pronounced dead. This was a rare occurrence that only happens a half dozen times in one’s lifetime. The occurrence I am talking about is a moment the majority of the world witness’s at the same time. One of those moments in life, when everyone remembers exactly where he or she was when they heard the news. In my lifetime, they’re had only been a few of the moments where the whole world tuned in to see the outcome. There was the OJ verdict, 9/11 and the day Full House got canceled. Regardless of how you felt about him, there is no denying that everyone was tuning in.

I sat in my living room speechless. I almost could not wrap my mind around the  concept of MJ dying. I flipped the channel searching for something to take me  away from what was happening, but every channel showed people mourning  from all around the world. I watched people in Africa to New Zealand crying as they prayed for him. As I watched, I realized whom we had really lost; the biggest star in the world. His impact on people’s lives became even more apparent to me when my friends spoke about it. Texts and facebook posts were filled with an outpouring of emotions. The people who 15 minutes earlier were texting me their best MJ quips, were now writing about their pain. Brian wrote, “There is no sunshine when he’s gone.” Jenny posted, “I will always remember the time. Thanks Michael!” Everyone was feeling something. Even my neighbor, who goes out of her way not to talk to me, broke down and cried when discussing it with me.

I couldn’t think of someone other than MJ, whose death would affect so many in the same way. He was like the cousin; you are close to as a kid, but who you stop talking to when they lost their way. Regardless of what they had done later in life, you always remember them as that person you grew up with. MJ was just that someone, who touched us as children. He was like a musical pedophile. I have never seen one musician liked by so many people. MJ was the one artist, that whenever his music came on, you could see rednecks, hippies, gangsters and preppies alike, all singing a long. He transcended stereotypes with his music, and by they way he dressed told us to not take ourselves to seriously.

He was one of those people that defined so many of our childhoods. He was there with so many of our great memories. For me, I remember the first time I watched thriller, and had to watch it from behind the couch because I was so scared. Or the first time I tried to moonwalk and accidentally knocked over my grandpa’s urn. Then there was the time I lost a bet because I thought Michael Jackson played Skeletor in He-Man. He even worked his way into my adult life. There was the time I was high on acid and listened to Thriller while watching the Whiz to see if they synced up like Dark Side Of The Moon and The Wizard of Oz (which it doesn’t.)

I think it is amazing to see people remember a person not for their faults, but for the positive things they did in their life. Soon that will pass, and it will go back to the bad MJ jokes. In a week or so, the late night guys will be using MJ’S death in there opening monologues; with jokes like, “When asked who to blame for MJ’S death, Police said, “You can blame it on the boogie.” Or, “To symbolize his death the hospital has released 200 white gloves.”

In a way I am kind of hoping that this is one of MJ’S pranks. That maybe down the road, we will hear about a movie he is starring in with 2pac. However, until that day, I am not going to remember him as the person people called Wacko Jacko. Not the person who blew bubbles and looked like  ET’s stunt double. I am going to remember him for the person he was when  he captivated us all. An innocent, black, young adult, who had a huge heart  and who’s potential was endless. Thanks Michael Jackson for the memories.

Tags: 2pac, 80's, baby dangling, bad, breaking news, comedy, Farrah Faccett, Full house, funny, funny blog, he-man, Jacko, Jackson 5, Jackson family, king of pop, Lisa Marie Prestley, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson's death, michael jackson's life, MJ jokes, moonwalking, Neverland Ranch, pranks, remembering michael, strange life, the whiz, Thriller, whacko jacko, Young michael