Deaths of the week

There were three deaths that happened in the last 24 hours for me. Two are the famous ones. When I heard that Farrah had died, I googled the poster. I am trying to figure out why that poster was so popular, but my two cousins Hap, Casey, and I went to the 7-11 to get the poster. We all had it in our rooms. Maybe it was the smile or maybe that was extremely sexy in 1977 or so that reached young boys. I am not going to spend much time trying to find that out.

But after Charlie's Angels, I lost contact with Farrah. I remember her and Burt in Cannonball Run, but that is about it. The Burning Bed did not really resonate with me. Then I heard she had cancer and anal cancer...it was too painful to think about. I just figured they would find treatment and that TV and tabloids were over blowing her health. Today she died. Godspeed.

Then Michael died this afternoon. I never bought Thriller and did not buy any of his tapes. Maybe he was just too cool and too hot and I was too unwilling to like the most popular thing. I am from that generation that takes sledge hammers to the popular. Somewhere in 1991, Michael and MC Hammer feuded and he went freaky with that extended video on Fox where he zipped and unzipped his pants. Then he molested children, allegedly, and it was too weird.

These two deaths shake me, because they mark my youth. However, the one that has more significance is the death of my friend's mom. I have had friends who have lost parents, but they have been older parents or it has been a freak bout of cancer or I just said, "this is abnormal part of life." But this time, I realize this is life. I hurt with my friend who has lost his mom and I am sad for his dad who now lives life alone. They had done life together and done it well. So out of three deaths in the last 24 hours...it is the one who died with friends and family. Her fans are not worldwide and her memorial service will not have TV crews or Access Hollywood outside. The mourning will be done with family and friends. It is a death that all of us will experience and none of us want to do so.