來源：mjjcn.com 翻譯：shell88
菲律賓馬尼拉——我在馬尼拉的酒店擔任公關專員，我被分派組織一個孤兒院的年度聖誕聚會，來自馬尼拉不同孤兒院的300個兒童將會得到一天的歡樂和驚喜。它是我手頭最大的項目之一，得知邁克爾.傑克遜住在酒店之後，我在聚會那天很難集中精力工作。2個晚上前，我榮幸地加入在酒店大堂歡迎他的佇列，與其他的公關同事和銷售同事一起，很滿足地看他走進來。
前一天，一個人自稱是邁克爾.傑克遜的助手、來自Mamarao製片公司的人來到辦公室。我不記得他的名字，但他在尋找負責人，說他的老闆看到了一周前發給酒店客人的聚會傳單，邁克爾想知道他是否能幫上忙。我們給出建議後，他的助理往返頂樓和公關辦公室好幾次。
邁克爾提出支付300袋糖果、玩具、蠟燭和巧克力。但已經有近50個贊助人了，我們很難處理。
於是我拼命想……流行音樂之王親自參加活動如何？我也許不能讓他和孩子們一起玩palayok遊戲或Pabitin，他會被人群淹沒的。既然年度活動的主題是給予，我鼓足勇氣告訴助理，我能想到對邁克爾最好的就是出現和幫助分發禮品袋，簽名，和孩子一起拍照。“哇，這可能不容易，你說的是給300個孩子發糖果袋，我可以想像混亂的情況。好吧，我會答復你。”
午餐休息來了，這可能是我一生中吃得最匆忙的一次。直到5點，邁克爾的助理回來說：“邁克爾很高興遵照你建議的做，明天我們怎麼辦？”我想尖叫，我不得不冷靜下來，我身體裏的Lizzie Maguire說，“現實些，要專注。”
我們同意邁克爾將會在遊戲、音樂節目和吃零食後加入，在最後一個環節分發禮品袋。我的同事Annette Africano和老闆Dulce Agnir要求增加花園和舞臺區域的安保，那是我們決定分發禮物的地方。我們確保孩子們將有有次序地排隊。然後那一刻到來了，1996年12月7日的Champagne花園，我驚訝地看到在助理的帶領下，他走向我們，當他到達是我向他簡介情況。
“嗨，你好嗎？非常感謝讓我加入，我知道我來早了，但我不想錯過節目。”我說，“你在開玩笑嗎？非常感謝你自願幫忙，何不坐在這裏看音樂節目？然後我們進入分發禮物。我得催一下節目。”他說，“當然，照你說的辦......（停下來看我的名牌），Gwen！”我驚訝於他難以置信的甜蜜和謙和，我的腦子裏在說:“上帝啊，這是真的麼？”
整個節目他都耐心地坐在那裏。Carol Banawa，Ang電視臺的台柱都不能相信相信MJ在看她表演，她在節目結束後請他在她紅色的上衣上簽名。任何是Stefano Mori的舞蹈節目，他的和音歌手和舞者登上舞臺，帶著一群選自不同孤兒院的孩子，在比利金的節奏中跳舞。哦，邁克爾臉上的笑容真的太令人驚歎了。
然後我們宣佈邁克爾將會上臺分發禮物，我向他解釋，這個袋子給小的孩子，另一種給大的孩子，他點頭。他給予孩子們顫慄和興奮的時刻無與倫比地感人。在分發禮物袋的時刻我看到了一個作為人而不是表演者的MJ。
這是在下午，聖誕老人也在，天氣很熱，我擔心邁克爾會覺得熱，因為他穿著黑色的長袖衣服和帽子。“你還好嗎，邁克爾?我們可以讓你休息一會兒。”我問。他說，“我很涼快，Gwen。想想聖誕老人穿著天鵝絨衣服和鬍子的感覺吧。我們會好的。”我從未聽他抱怨熱或排隊的隊伍長。他有著最美的舉止，他甚至沒要一杯水或一條毛巾來擦汗，不過我們管宴會的同事確保他得到了一杯新鮮橙汁。
一小時過去了，我們禮物發了一半，這時我們主意到花園裏開始充滿了人。突然，媒體、政治家、官員和酒店客人，包括附近Champagne廳的婚宴客人，扔下新婚夫婦，就為了來看一眼流行音樂之王。“哦，本來不該是這樣的，我很抱歉。”我說。“沒關係，我們能對付。”邁克爾笑著說。當我們把最後一袋禮物發給一個11歲的孤兒之後，包含更多小孩和成人的隊伍形成了。邁克爾的保鏢，Wayne說：“我們現在可以離開了。”邁克爾平靜地回答：“如果還有人在排隊，我們就不能離開，這可是耶誕節，夥計。”
我感到心跳加快，手臂和脖子上的汗毛豎立。他不僅是最令人興奮的表演者，他還是最慷慨大方的人。
最難忘的時刻之一是當一位女士來要簽名時。他抱著肚子笑了，他說，“嗨，Gwen,你來看看，”他小聲說，“這是一張空白支票。這位女士想讓我簽一張空白支票。”我們笑得厲害，沒想到還有更好笑的。他後來給我和Wayne看人們找不到紙就在地上撿東西讓他簽名。一位女士讓他在她優雅的、Filipiniana設計的大衣後面簽名。一個十幾歲的小孩拿來一片枯樹葉，另一個拿來一個氣球。想像一下我們的爆笑。真是一個神奇、真實的經歷。邁克爾問我是否會來看他的歷史演唱會，我說“明天晚上”，“哦，你會覺得很勁的！”邁克爾告訴我。
這時他開始擔心舞臺，因為成人的數量超過了小孩。他臉上有緊張但沒有抱怨。他好幾次用腳踩踩木制的地板已確保它不會塌掉。“我曾經歷過舞臺垮塌事件，我想確認我們都是安全的。”他解釋說。一半的我希望隊伍結束，因為我們正在融化，擔心安全，但一半的我又不想，因為一旦隊伍結束，邁克爾就將離開。在某一刻它還是結束了。在我們的總經理Clem Pablo要求他唱《在耶誕節給予愛》之前，我設法為我的姐妹和我弄到了簽名。
Cesar Sarino，酒店的官員，對流行音樂之王表達了感謝。我看見他的保鏢和助手護送他迅速離開舞臺。我在腦子裏說，“哦，我甚至沒有機會說再見。”突然間，我看見邁克爾返回舞臺，說：“非常感謝你和你的團隊，Gwen。這非常有意義。”接著將我擁在身旁，說：“演唱會上見。”
邁克爾已經安息，回到生命的最初狀態，他的兩個無與倫比的善舉——志願作慈善、無私地花時間和不幸的人們在一起，將永遠是我記住這個男人的方式。
My close encounter with Michael Jackson
by By Gwen J. Cariño
Handing out a loot bag to a boy during the Orphan‘s Christmas Party held at Manila Hotel on December 1996
MANILA, Philippines – When I was a PR officer at Manila Hotel, I was assigned to head the annual Orphan’s Christmas Party where 300 children from different orphanages around Metro Manila were treated to a day of fun and surprises. It was one of the biggest projects on my plate and it was such a challenge to focus on work the day before the big event, knowing Michael Jackson was billeted in the hotel.
Two nights before, I had been fortunate to be part of his welcome line at the hotel lobby together with the rest of the PR and sales staff but was content enough to see him walk by.
The day before, a guy claiming to be Michael Jackson’s aide from Mamarao Productions came to the office. I couldn’t recall his name but he looked for the “person in charge” and said his boss had read the announcement about the event in the Dear Guest flyers we had circulated to all the rooms a week before. Michael wanted to know how he could help. His aide went up to the Penthouse and down to the PR office several times after we gave our suggestions.
Michael offered to fill up the 300 loot bags with goodies and toys, candies and chocolates. But after getting close to 50 sponsors, it was actually a problem for us to dispose of everything.
So I thought hard…how can the King of Pop meaningfully join the affair? I couldn’t possibly have him be with the kids in the palayok game or the pabitin as he might end up being mobbed! And since the annual event was really all about giving, I mustered all my courage and told the Mamarao guy that the best thing I could think of was for Michael to literally be present to help distribute the loot bags, sign autographs and pose with the children for photos. “Wow, that may not be easy. You’re talking about handing goodie bags to 300 children and I can just imagine the chaos. We’ll see, Ms. Jacinto. I’ll get back to you,” he said.
Lunch break came and it was the most hurried one I ever took in my entire life. It wasn’t until after 5 p.m. that Michael‘s aide came back and said, “Michael is more than happy to do whatever you suggest. How do we go about it tomorrow?”
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I wanted to scream. I had to calm myself and regain composure as the Lizzie Maguire in me said, “Get real, get back into focus.”
We agreed that Michael would join after the games, musical program and snacks, and at the last part to give out the loot bags. My colleague Annette Africano and boss Dulce Agnir requested for additional security around the garden and the stage area as this was where we decided to distribute the gifts. We made sure the children would form an orderly line.
Then the moment arrived. It was at the Champagne Gardens on Dec. 7, 1996. I was surprised to see him walking towards us, guided by his aide. Michael came up to me as I had to brief him.
“Hi, how are you? Thanks so much for letting me in, I know I’m early ’coz I didn’t want to miss the program.”
I said, “Are you kidding? Thanks so much for volunteering! Here’s what Michael, why don’t you just sit here and watch the musical numbers before we get into the gift giving. I will have to tweak the program a bit.”
He replied, “Sure, anything you say… (pausing to look at my name tag) Gwen!”
I was stunned at how incredibly sweet and modest he was. And in my mind it was, “Oh my God, this is really happening!”
Amazing how he patiently sat through the whole program. Carol Banawa, then an Ang TV mainstay couldn’t believe MJ was watching her perform. She had her red blouse signed by him right after her number. Then followed Stefano Mori’s dance number. Later, his back up singers and dancers came up on stage followed by select kids from different orphanages who danced to the beat of Billie Jean. Oh, the smile on Michael’s face was just amazing.
Then we announced that Michael will be distributing gifts onstage. I explained to him that there’s a loot bag for the younger kids and another for the older ones and he nodded. The thrill and excitement he gave those children was incredibly touching. It was in between the gift bag distribution that I caught a glimpse of MJ, not as a performer but as a person.
It was one in the afternoon. Santa Claus (David Endriga, a friend of fellow PR officer Francis Capistrano) was with us. The heat was scourging and I was worried that Michael felt so hot with his black long-sleeved signature attire and hat.
“Are you alright Michael? We can let you take a break,” I asked.
He said, “I’m cool Gwen. Just imagine how Santa feels inside his velvet suit and beard. We’ll be fine.”
I never heard him complain or say a word about how hot it was or how long the line was. He had the most beautiful manners. He didn’t even ask for a drink or a towel to wipe his sweat but one of our banquet staff made sure he got a glass of fresh orange juice.
An hour passed and we were halfway through gift-giving when we noticed that the garden was getting filled up. Suddenly, there were people from media, politicians, officials and hotel guests including those in a wedding reception at the nearby Champagne Room who deserted the newly-weds just to get a glimpse of the King of Pop.
“Oh oh, this isn’t supposed to be, I’m so sorry,” I said. “It’s all right, we’ll get through it,” Michael said smiling.
As we finished giving out the last loot bag to an 11-year-old orphan, a new line of more kids and adults formed. Michael’s bodyguard, Wayne, said. “We can leave now.”
Michael replied calmly, “We can’t leave when there are still people in line. It’s Christmas, dude.”
I felt my heart beat faster and the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stood up. He wasn’t just the most electrifying performer, but the most generous person.
I felt my heart beat faster and the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stood up. He wasn’t just the most electrifying performer, but the most generous person.
One of the most memorable moments was when a lady came up to him for an autograph. Laughing and holding his tummy, he said “Hey Gwen, you’ve gotta check this out.” He whispered, “It’s a blank check. The lady is making me sign on a blank check.”
We laughed hard and little did we know that it wasn’t even half of the comedy. He later showed me and Wayne other stuff people would use or pick up on the ground when they couldn’t find paper for him to sign on. One lady made him sign at the back of her elegant, designer Filipiniana gown. One teenager came up to him holding a dead leaf and another one, a popped balloon. Imagine how our laughter ballooned as well.
It was an amazing, genuine experience. At one point he asked if I was going to catch his History concert and I said “tomorrow night.”
“Oh, you’ll have a blast!” Michael told me.
At this point he became concerned about the stage as adults outnumbered the kids. His face had nervousness written all over it but he still didn’t complain. He tapped the wooden floor with his foot several times making sure it was sturdy enough not to fall apart. “I’ve experienced the stage collapse and I just want to make sure we’re all safe here,” he explained.
Half of me wanted the line to finish because we were literally melting and worried about our safety, but half of me didn’t, knowing that once the line ended, Michael will leave.
At some point it did end. I managed to get an autograph for my sisters and me before our general manager, Clem Pablo, requested him to sing Give Love on Christmas Day.
Cesar Sarino, one of the hotel’s officials, addressed his thank you note to the King of Pop. Then I saw his guards and aides whisking Michael off stage.
I said in my mind, “Oh man, I didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye.”
Suddenly, I saw Michael return on stage and say, “Thanks so much to you and your team, Gwen. This really means a lot.”
Then he held me beside him and said, “I’ll see you at the concert.”
As Michael Jackson is laid to rest and returned to pristine condition in the afterlife, these two incredible acts of the King of Pop — volunteering for charity and unselfishly spending time with the less fortunate, will forever be the way I will remember this man.
A short video of the event:
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