MICHAEL

Sometimes we wanted to look away, but we couldn't. His failings competed with his genius and we were drawn to both. From the first moment, we knew we were witnessing something extraordinary. He was sometimes maddening and somewhat mad but we were always fascinated.

He was the Thriller and he was Off the Wall. He was Bad and he was Dangerous. He was telling us HiStory, word by word and day by day.

The images are etched in our minds. For almost half a century, he was anything but irrelevant. Like few others, he created. The energy was electric and compelling. As his life developed, good and bad, high and low became locked in eternal struggle.

This man who never seemed at rest, now is. For him, whose tale was still unfolding, it seems an end but not a finish. We want him back so he can walk away in triumph and light. We want happy endings. He is not going to be able to give us one. HiStory was cut short and we are now left disquieted. We want him onstage once more, with genius bursting forth and demons exorcised forever.

Life is often a cautionary tale. He asked us take notice and we did. He was human to the extremes. He was the best of times and the worst of times. Now,he is no more. Goodbye Michael. It was a wild ride.