I am not Michael

I am on the bus on my way home to Laguna last Saturday night when my attention was caught by the featured story discussed by Jessica Soho on tv. It is just this Friday that the news broke that the king of pop died and I am amazed how the news and current affairs section of GMA7 afforded to feature a storyline right away. I am am struck by the line delivered by Jessica that some or a number of people around the world are affected by his death because we grew-up with the songs he is singing then. That’s pretty relevant for me since I can recall the cassette tape that my aunt used to play with MJ’s hit “I’ll be there”; and the interpretative dance we made when I was still grade three with his song “Heal the world”. Those were the days I am hearing MJ singing left and right. Indeed I or you, grew-up also in those Golden years of Michael Jackson.

And as I look outside the bus window pondering on the news story I watched, MJ is not the only Michael that I knew and shared some wonderful experiences to my almost a quarter of a century's existence. My eldest cousin,from my father side, whom I idolized is named Michael. The person who helped me cross the high wire in AYLC was Michael Castañeda. My ninong from the La Salle Brothers is Br Michael Boughton and my mentor is Br Michael Valenzuela. With Youth on Fire, I met a long list of Michaels – Michael C, Michael P, Michael M i am not sure if they are only three, there cam a point that I think we are using almost all the letters of the alphabet attached to Michael, from the guests we are entertaining. The guard from my previous employer, Hewlett-Packard, also got the name Michael. I got acquainted to two Michaels or Mike in Lingkod ng Panginoon - Makati. One is my Action Group Leader and the other the servant on our CLP. Another Michael is the guy I randomly met in Trinoma and who turned out now to be one of my confidantes. The group I am with now is praying for Michael the archangel for assistance. I am amazed on how I account those Michaels who crossed my path.

I do also read or heard about some Michaels who in a way were part of my childhood years like Michael the brother of Wendy from the book Peter Pan. They visited the same fictional place where Michael Jackson would also want to go – the Neverland. I also grew-up with another MJ – Michael Jordan, he is the man I tried to imitate when I reached the age of 23. ( I am doing some sort of themes on my birthdays).

And as I went down the bus and trace the path to our house, I am thankful that at some point I became an MJ fan and I met those Michaels. People who might have shared the same name yet lived for a different cause. I am glad I am Christopher and I’m finally home and wishing that MJ is home too.