I’d like to add to the New Years Eve story at Hennessy Ingalls Bookstore that Arus previously blogged about…
December 31st, 2008
So as mentioned before, we were inside the bookstore browsing for books and completely ignoring Michael. At this point there were no other fans inside the store (just a few random shoppers) and no one had bothered him yet. We came up to him at the end of one of the aisles. It was just us two, Michael, and his two security guys.
Having never asked Michael for a picture, a little voice in my head said “do it NOW”. For some odd reason I had my camera in my back pocket. This was unusual because when around Michael we never took out a camera. It was an unwritten rule. So I managed to spit the words out “Michael, can we take a picture with you?” He answered “Sure. Like this?” referring to the fact that he didn’t feel presentable. He was in his pajama pants, trench coat, a veil, surgical mask, and a fedora. But his amazing eyes were exposed through reading glasses. I’ll never forget looking into those eyes more than once that day.
Sensing his discomfort, Arus and I stood there being indecisive about whether to take the picture or not. And Michael and his two guards stood there confused. Arus finally said “no, it’s okay, next time”.
Needless to say a few minutes later strangers and shoppers in the store had hovered around him taking pictures and asking for autographs.
Are we the only fans who’ve had this opportunity and turned it down? Probably so! The next day I saw the two guards and puzzled by our decision they asked why we didn’t just take the picture.
Later that night I went to a New Years Eve party and my camera fell and broke. I used to joke around and say that it broke because it got mad at me for not taking that picture. For 5 months I was without a camera. A week after I finally got it fixed I got the rare opportunity (again) and I took my first and only picture with Michael.
-Talin
-Talin
It was great to see him without masks and so on but I don't know if he realised how much some of us loved him when he was wearing all those things. It's hard to explain, but I loved it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the story Talin!
This is so funny. But I totally understand your decision not to take a pic. Actually I think he appreciated you for that. And you are not the only fans to turn down opportunities out of respect for him or his time. In hindsight, my nonchalance at turning down autographs and a pic is eating at me, but at that moment, I was glad I decided that way..I told myself, "there will be time" :-(
ReplyDeleteIrina
Talin you did not noticed it because we really did not know each other well on that time but me and Tiziana were there that day.. it has been our last time we hug him :( we did not take pictures also because it was not the right time... I also had that kind of rule... but I had other good times for ask him.
ReplyDeleteThanks for share it!
<3 Erika
Yah, I felt that it wasn't a good time to take a photo. All the many many times we saw him in 2008, we always said "there's always next time".
ReplyDeleteIt's ironic because the very last time I saw Michael in person, was the day we took those beautiful photos in the car with him. I'm glad for once I didn't tell myself "next time"...because that next time would have never came for me. :(
Blessed.
- Arus
Erika, i do remember you guys coming into the bookstore after this. but for a very short while we were the only fans in there and we didn't know what to do, so instead of talking to him more we left him alone and were looking at books ourselves. *smacks forehead*.
ReplyDeletei remember you guys talking to him, i remember cedric saying something about switzerland (lol). and i remember manu there too.
that was the best new year eve EVER!!!
- Talin
Cedric! I remember Cedric telling Michael, "Switzerland is here for you"....and Michael said back to him, "Who?!"
ReplyDeleteLMAO! Hilarious.
Yah I remember looking at some book about the Eiffel Tower and I liked it a lot, I asked Talin to buy it for me since I didn't have my purse on me...and she was like, "Ok, seriously? What are we doing right now?"
By then Michael was coming closer...
- Arus
arus, you got it mixed up. cedric said that a differet time (at carolwood inside gates airport day). but lmao.
ReplyDeleteYa, i remember the eiffel tower book too. we walked toward the register and i was like "how are we paying for this, i don't have my purse either". i just had my camera, phone and keys with me. i know i had my phone because i was talking to tami at some point. michael was at the back of the store and i was at the front on the phone. we were just really dumb that day!
Haha, who is Switzerland? Epic.
ReplyDeleteI remember Cedric mentioning Switzerland all the time haah, and shoving his passport in hahah. I wonder if he ever got an autograph on that.
How hilarious is that, the books behind him in this picture are called Camouflage!! :)
I still think Cedric said it at the bookstore. LOL
ReplyDeleteYah I love how I was browsing Paris books and you were on the phone chatting away! *smacks forhead*
- Arus
ya, cedric did said "switzerland" at bookstore but he said it again at carolwood and that's when michael said "who?" lol
ReplyDelete-talin
No, you aren't the only ones, girls. I could have asked him to take a picture but never felt like burdening. And it was also odd to snap shots while he was before my eyes. Now I regret it cuz those memories are slightly disappearing and I cannot prevent that from happening.. :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your memories with us all! x
Girlss if i was with you I am sure I was on my knees asking Michael for a picture hehehe.. You are sooo lucky.. at least you saw him and spent great moments with this wonderful man... I still cannot forget the pain ...
ReplyDeletei know many of us have had the opportunity to ask for a picture but didn't. i was in that situation many times. but in the post i'm talking about actually asking for a picture and then changing our mind. i dunno if anyone has ever done that! LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm loving you're MJ memories! You guys seem so relaxed around him lol..cuz other fans would've jumpt all over him and screamed in his face LOL! And Switzerland is here for you?? Who!!... LMAO classic Michael!
ReplyDeleteArrr you guys are soooo lucky! Back in 2005, when Michael stayed at the Dorchester, my cousin and I sent him a card that we made, sent him various wristbands and some random Disney and Studio Ghibli dvds... (Yah random I know) and we put my moblie phone number in the card not thinking for a second he would call us back! Anyway, long story short he left a voice message, cuz I stupidly missed the two calls! And we were proper freakin' out over it and all he had said was Thank u, I Love you!
But to be up close and personal with him must've been something special!xo
BTW Arus, there was that photo of Michael leaving the clinic in 2009, holding a picture of you! And various fans on MJ boards an' twitter etc were asking who the girl in the picture was! I can't wait to hear the story about that!xo
ReplyDeleteWow Neesie!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing experience but I'm so bummed you didn't pick up your phone! Did you record the voice message? <3
Yes, we were pretty calm around Michael. Sometimes too calm...
I'll be posting the "story" about Michael holding the photo sometime soon. Maybe it will clear some very bad rumours about me on those stupid boards. :\
- Arus
Lol Arus about the rumors on forums. Yeah, I sometimes thought we were too calm and silent around him at the car, as if we didn't care lol. But in fact, I think we were afraid not to intrude.
ReplyDelete-Irina
the fans couldn't have 2 better people to rep them. thank you for these memories.
ReplyDeleteI remember that day Michael was holding a huge book of "THE ROME OF BORROMINI" <3
ReplyDelete