An 80's Dream

The Show

We hid out among the trashcans next to the small door. Men would step out for cigarette breaks and go out for what seemed like coffee breaks. Behind us we hear a loud truck back up and start to unload amps, bass guitar cases, drum set parts. We looked at each other and we bumped fists again. We sneaked up crouched down, glad the nightfall was giving us some camouflage. The man turned around to grab another case and we bolted in the double door, sly and fast we hid somewhere. We were behind some stage props and we looked around for another place to hide. A man stands over the way unloading a bass drum from a large, bulky case. I pointed to it so Shania could see and she nodded. The man rolls the bass drum away and we make our way over to the case quickly. We kneel down inside and closed the lid on top of us. We felt the case being picked up and rolled somewhere. I held onto the inside handle tight, whoever driving us around being very rough handed. We were dropped down somewhere quiet and I opened the lid very careful. I looked around scanning the surroundings closely. We were inside a small room. I poked my head out a little more and saw a door on the far side of the room. A door with a large star on the front. I smiled wide until I heard voices approaching the room. "Good thing were petite.." Shania whispers and I motion for her to be quiet. I closed the lid again quickly, hushing my breathing. Two voices started to fill the room. One was low and gutteral, older sounding. The other I could recognize from the grave. It was Michael's.
"Barry if I do the moonwalk tonight won't that be considered showing off? I mean I want tonight to be special but I don't wanna show the crowd everything.."
The other voice I assumed to be Barry Gordy, the owner of Motown himself, spoke up,
"That's what we want Michael. We want you to give it all you got. Really wow em tonight Mike. Now I'm gonna go do some sound board work and I'll be back in twenty to make sure your ready to do some stage tests."
Michael told him okay and the room drawn quiet. Except for angelic, melodic like humming from our beloved Michael. I open the lid very narrow, barely causing a crack and Michael came in vision. He sat at his vanity mirror and combed his hair back.
I nudged Shan's shoulder telling her to look up and her eyes widened at the sight. We both smiled wider than the Nile and giggled soft. The giggle was louder than I had expected and I shut the lid hard, thinking we had been caught. I kicked myself for shutting it that hard. I heard footsteps come close and I winced. Shan punched my arm hard and bit my lip at the pain. I braced for emotional impact and the lid to the case swings open.
There he stood. The Michael Jackson was standing infront of us, he looked down and said soft,
"Oh god please don't be reporters..I'm getting security.."
I shot up into a sitting position like Night of the Living Dead and wove my arms,
"No no! Please! We're fans please Michael we just wanted to meet you!!" He turns around slow and looks at us, closely.
"Fans?" He asked unsure, his hand still on the door knob.
I looked to Shania and I helped her out of the case, we sat ontop side by side and I pleaded with heavy words, "My name is Dee, I'm seventeen years old and I'm from Flushing ,Queens, in New York. This is my best friend Shania, she's from Brooklyn. We've traveled a very long way to see you mister Jackson. We've been fans from the very start, I know that this is absurd to meet you like this but please, we just wanted to thank you and atleast see you in the flesh..."
He let's go of the door handle and comes over to sit back infront of the vanity. I prepare to be lectured until he says lowly,
"I'm not upset."
We both looked to him stunned and listened close as he continued.
"I'm just very surprised to have such dedicated fans. It's protocol to ask you to leave but I don't want you to have come all this way for nothing. I thank you for your loyalty girls. I appreciate it, truly that's from the heart. Would you like an autograph?"
Both our faces lit up in joy and we said in sync , "Sure!"
He smiles and goes into a small drawer in the vanity dresser. He pulls out a jeweled glove and I thought my eyes were gonna fall out. He was signing a glove! To give to us! He took out a sharpie marker from the inside of his vest and scribbled his artistic like signature on the side where the fabric was blank. He tossed the glove to me and Shania's heart drops to her knees. "I'm not leaving you out cutie.." he says to her as he giggles adorably. He goes to a small bag beside the dresser and pulls out a fedora. He takes the tag and signs his initials. He tosses it to Shan and she catches it giggling.
"So New York? Wow that is quite a long way..."
Well yes if you don't count the couple of decades we've traveled too.
"What seats do you girls have tonight?" He asks and we look at each other wincing again.
"We kinda....don't... have seats.." Shan said to him, cringing.
He smiles and says,
"Well that will never do. I'll tell you what..I'll have my staff reserve a box seat for you two. My treat. You've already done so much just for me.."
We stood there dumbfounded and we turned to one another in utter shock. Box seats?!? At Motown 25?!?
"Well Gosh Mr. Jackson...that's a hell of a deal you're cutting us.." I say scratching the back of my head.
He chuckles and says, "Its really not a problem. I hope you enjoy the show tonight. And I can't thank you enough for coming..."
A loud knock thunders through the room from the door. Michael stands up answering it and looks to us,
"It's almost showtime girls...I'll have this man here show you to your seats.."
He opened the door to a tall burly security guard with an earpiece. We thanked him thoroughly, grinning like idiots. He assured us it wasn't a problem. I go to the door and begin to exit with the guard but something stops me. I turn my head to see Michael, back standing infront of his vanity mirror, adjusting his jacket and shirt. I rush over and hug his waist tight. I feel surprise in his muscles as they tense then suddenly relax.
"I love you Michael.." I said very soft. His waist being so small but his chest being so warm and broad. I feel him wrap his arms around me and he whispers in reply,
"I love you more. Thank you for coming to see me.."
I let him go blushing. Shania stands shaking her head and she hugs him too. We giggle going back to the door and follow the guard up to the box seats. "Shoot! We need to tell him not to work with Pepsi!" Shania says in a instant starting to turn back but I grab her,
"No let's just go. Come on. We can't alter time.. it's not smart "
She nodded and began to walk with me again. We were shown to our seats and we sat down smiling wide.
"Were here Dee!!" Shan squealed and I nodded.
"Oh my god Shan I can't believe it!"
We giggled some more like chickens in a coop until the lights dimmed. I leaned in close and watched the stage like a hawk. I brushed my new souvenir in my hand nervously and we saw Michael step on stage, the crowd roared and so did we. We cheered and whistled to him loud. A familiar drum beat came on and Michael puts on his fedora. He was beginning the dance to Billie Jean.
Oh god and we were watching it live. We sang along to every line and bobbed our heads to the beat. We watched Michael like a hawk. In all the excitement I felt my vision get blurry and I shook it away quickly. Michael started to moonwalk and we screamed like mad men. We cheered him on with every fiber of our beings. Though now I felt myself start to yawn. Why was I feeling sleepy? I looked over to Shan and she held her mouth mid yawn. We were both suddenly feeling tired. Why now? Michael bowed after finishing his song and we clapped as much as the fatigue would let us. He was an angel. God Michael was something transcendental. He bowed again and the crowd lost their mind. My eyes began to close, and I let them do so reluctantly. I leaned on Shania's shoulder and saw she was being taken down by the tiredness as well. Soon, even though I was in a room full of screaming people, my mind and body fell into a deep sleep. I dreamt of seeing that angel with the sparkling glove gliding across the stage with no cares in the world. I dreamt of his luminous smile and his uplifting turn of phrase and personality. The way his heart could make you fall in love just as much as his laugh could. The way he seemed to look into your soul through your eyes. I dreamt of the first time I held my idol above all others, Michael Jackson.