Thriller was the first album I owned. Michael Jackson was a huge part of my childhood. And when I was first living in LA, I got the chance to meet him. At a Three Stooges Convention. LA Times story here: http://articles.latimes.com/1998/aug/26/news/ls-16462?pg=2

I was at the registration desk of the Burbank Hilton when his entourage came in. He was with T3 (Tito's sons), Tito, and some of his other nieces and nephews. He was covered from head to toe in gray silk, but that voice was undeniably his. One of his security guards asked if I wouldn't mind walking with the group around the convention. It ended up being quite an odd thing because Billy Barty was there and he and Michael knew each other. So I walked around with Tito and Michael Jackson and Billy Barty. How random is that?? I didn't take any pictures or ask for authographs because it seemed tacky. He was out for a fun thing with his family.

Anyway, it was uneventful. They took pictures, they bought memoribillia, they threw pies. I stayed in the corridor while the family was in each of the areas and helped keep other people back. I did get to speak to him and he did shake my hand. His hands looked so OLD. They were so frail looking. But he was kind and gracious and not demanding and said that he missed the midwest. I hope that in his death he is able to find the peace and acceptantance that he seemed to crave and search for in this world.

RIP Michael.