EXCLUSIVE: A Run-in with Michael Jackson

A Ten Dollar Radio Exclusive. Shamim Allen, member of the Dust Bunnies and regular contributor to another great blog, recalls the time she bumped into Michael Jackson. You won't read this anywhere but here. The floor is hers.

The rumors had been flying for a few weeks: Michael Jackson is going to shoot a video here. I was going to an all-girls high school in Dobbs Ferry, NY,  and I was too cool to be impressed with him and or rumors. I was "above" pop.

Time passed and the rumors subsided; everyone had decided it wasn't actually going to happen. One day I was running late for English and, entering the main hall leading to the classrooms, I was met with a crowd. Boys—all dressed in their winter gear with snow dripping off of them. What the heck? Did a boys' school come for a visit? Weird, yes, but I was late. So I start wading through this blockade of guys, pushing them to the left and right of me, saying excuse me loudly, when BANG I ran into one of them. I lifted my head to apologize and tell the guy to move and ...

Yup, Michael Jackson himself. I was looking into his face, just inches from mine. He was a bit taller than me, which I found surprising. Kind, sad eyes, beautiful. He started to ask if I was OK in his soft, high voice but before I could respond I was scooped up by a security guard and placed to the side of the now-divided crowd waiting before huge double doors leading to the back of the school.

I had the best view! Holy cow, now I was interested. "I touched him" actually flitted through my mind—me, who didn't care about the famous. I felt giddy. The hall was filled with excitement and chatter and yet there he stood, alone, head tilted down in this sea of boys. Most of them looked his age and yet no one was talking to him. He looked so isolated. I wanted to talk with him, reassure him with a smile but he never looked up.

In the back of my mind I kept wrestling with the responsibility of going to class when suddenly someone stood in front of me, blocking my view. Oh boy I was irked, I mean, before I didn't care about Michael Jackson but now, how dare this person just plant himself in front of my phenomenal view? I was about to tap him on the shoulder and say something when he turned around and gave me a smile. It was Quincy Jones!!!!!  I smiled back and accepted my non-VIP status.

The next thing I knew the doors opened wide. Everyone rushed out shouting and throwing snowballs. For a brief moment my school of girls was transformed to the Duxston School of Boys in the long version of the video "Bad." I carefully picked my way across a soggy floor to class. My teacher was only slightly interested in my excuse.

(Photo of Bad-era Michael Jackson by Dave Hogan/Getty Images. I pinched it from the NY Times site. Thanks, fellows.)