브룩 쉴즈의 '내 친구 마이클'

Michael was one of a kind. I was thinking back to the time when we met and the many times we spent together, and whenever we were out together there would a picture taken and the caption usually said “an unlikely pair” or “an odd couple” but to us it was the most natural and easiest of friendships. I was thirteen when we met and from that day on our friendship grew.

Michael always knew that he could count on me to support him, or be his date. And that we would have fun, no matter where we were. We had a bond. And maybe it was because we both understood what it was like to be on the spotlight from a very young age. I used to tease him and I would say “I started when I was eleven months old. You’re a slacker! You were what, five!?”

Both of us needed to be adults very early, but when we were together we were two little kids, having fun. We never collaborated together; we never performed together or danced on the same stage. Although he did try in vain one night to unsuccessfully try and teach me the moon walk and he just basically shook his head and crossed his arms at my attempt.

We never filmed a video or recorded a song but what we did do was laugh. It was always a competition to see who could make the other one laugh more or be sillier. Michael loved to laugh. His heart would burst out of him when he laughed. He loved it when I did silly imitations or told him stories about my life. And M.J’s laugh was one of the sweetest, purest laughs I have ever known. His sense of humor was delightful and he loved to be mischievous. I remember it was the night before Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding and he had called me to go and see if we could take a first peek at her dress. We were in hysterics when we found out that Elizabeth was actually asleep in the bed when we thought she was in a different room. On the day of the wedding we joked that we were Elizabeth’s parents.

It may have been odd but we made it fun and we made it real. When he started wearing the glove I was questioning why he wore it. He shook his head and smiled. Michael loved to be teased. When you saw him smile it made you feel like everything was going to be alright.

To the outside world Michael was a genius with unchallenged ability. To the people who knew him were lucky enough to know him personally. He was caring and funny and honest and pure, non-jaded and a lover of life. He cared so deeply for his family and his friends, and his fans.

He was often referred as “the king” but to me he was more like the little prince. “What moves me so deeply about the sleeping little prince, is his loyalty to a flower. The image of a rose shining within him like a lamp. Even when he’s asleep. And I realized that he was even more fragile than I thought. He must be protected for a gust of wind can blow him out.” Michael’s sensitivity was more extraordinary than his talent and his true truth resided in his heart. The little prince had once said “Eyes are blind. You have to look with your heart for what is important is invisible.” Michael saw everything with his heart.

To his family, my prayers are with you.

Michael’s favorite song was the song Charlie Chaplin wrote for the move “Modern Times”. It’s called “Smile”. There’s a line in the song that says “smile though your heart is aching”. Today, although our hearts are aching we need to look up, where he is undoubtedly perched on a crescent moon, and smile.

브룩 쉴즈의 조사를 듣고 그만 눈물이 주르르 흘러내렸다. 친구가 본 마이클 잭슨은 순수한 어린왕자요, 장난꾸러기 피터팬이었으며, 고민을 나눌 수 있는 믿음직한 친구였다. 브룩 쉴즈에겐 우리들의 팝의 황제는 여리디 여린 감성을 가진 착한 친구였던 것이다. 그녀의 말을 옮기기엔 내 영어나 한국말이 너무나 짧다는 것을 통감한다.