我與MJ 的相識純粹出於偶然。那是1983年，我妻子Flora 當時正懷著我們的第一個孩子。那時，我們經常去一家叫作“金殿”的素菜館吃飯，我們的習慣是在午餐後晚餐前的那段時間去，因為那時吃飯的人很少。不過，除我們之外，還經常會有另一個飯館的常客也喜歡在這個時間段來吃飯——那就是MJ，那時他剛成為素食者不久。他很好奇也很著迷地觀察著作為素食者的一對夫婦，是如何應對妊娠期帶來的種種變化的。
我們的長子Elia 出生於六月，後來Michael 見到他時，簡直高興極了。有一次，他還問我成為父親意味著什麼，同時他還非常肯定地告訴我，那是他最想要的：做一個父親，有自己的孩子，養育他們。他說這些話時的樣子真的很讓人感動。作為一個被剝奪了正常童年的人，MJ 是那麼渴望有朝一日成為父親，他說他想要這個超過了對世界上任何其他東西的渴望。
1984年2月，Elia 八個月大了，有天我們帶著他一起來到了金殿餐館。那天餐館裏沒有別人，除了Michael 和他的朋友——當時十三歲的外號叫作" Webste r" 的Emmanuel Lewis. Michael 說他很想跟Elia 一起拍張照片，可惜他沒帶相機。那天我妻子的手提包裏倒是有架相機，但沒有膠捲。Michael 建議說附近有家百貨公司可以買到膠捲，他還請求在我們等Flora 去買膠捲的時候，由他和路易士來照顧Elia. 當Flora 買了膠捲回來後，我就開始準備給他，Elia 和路易士照相，拍照過程中，Michael 就拍攝的角度和他們拍照時的姿勢等給我提了不少建議。最後，Michael 問我們相片洗出來後，可不可以也給他留一份，我說那當然了。
照片沖出來後，我發現那天拍的每一張都很成功，尤其是這張Michael 抱著Elia 的（如圖），我很喜歡。25年後的今天再看這張照片，看著照片裏Michael 那神采飛揚的眼神，甜美燦爛的笑容，怎麼能讓人不難過？！那時他給我的印象是個健康，快樂，安靜的人。當時他的專輯< Thriller> 轟動一時。我清楚地記得拍照那天正是他的單曲< Beat It > 剛剛發行的第四天。我們在餐館拍完照片的十天后，他就贏得了八項格萊美獎。這之後，我們很快又在金殿餐館裏碰到了他，他看上去容光煥發，但同時卻又因為自己的巨大成功而顯得有些不好意思。
這張MJ 和Elia 的照片已經跟著我走了大半個地球了。我有個習慣，每次出遠門，我都會隨身帶一些家庭合影的照片。每次當別人看到這張MJ 和Elia 的合影時，他們都會很吃驚。不管我去哪兒，俄羅斯，中國，緬甸。。。人們都知道Michael Jackson。我得承認，作為一個記者，在採訪中用這種方式確實會比較容易打破堅冰，緩和現場的氣氛，而且還可以拉近與被採訪者之間的距離。隨著時間的推移，這些年來，MJ 看上去越來越不像這張照片裏的他了。雖然現在他離開了我們，但我還是很想與大家一起分享這張照片，因為這裏的他看上去愉快，平和，對世界對自己都能坦然地予以接受。這正是我願意永遠記住的Michael 的樣子。
我們的長子Elia 出生於六月，後來Michael 見到他時，簡直高興極了。有一次，他還問我成為父親意味著什麼，同時他還非常肯定地告訴我，那是他最想要的：做一個父親，有自己的孩子，養育他們。他說這些話時的樣子真的很讓人感動。作為一個被剝奪了正常童年的人，MJ 是那麼渴望有朝一日成為父親，他說他想要這個超過了對世界上任何其他東西的渴望。
1984年2月，Elia 八個月大了，有天我們帶著他一起來到了金殿餐館。那天餐館裏沒有別人，除了Michael 和他的朋友——當時十三歲的外號叫作" Webste r" 的Emmanuel Lewis. Michael 說他很想跟Elia 一起拍張照片，可惜他沒帶相機。那天我妻子的手提包裏倒是有架相機，但沒有膠捲。Michael 建議說附近有家百貨公司可以買到膠捲，他還請求在我們等Flora 去買膠捲的時候，由他和路易士來照顧Elia. 當Flora 買了膠捲回來後，我就開始準備給他，Elia 和路易士照相，拍照過程中，Michael 就拍攝的角度和他們拍照時的姿勢等給我提了不少建議。最後，Michael 問我們相片洗出來後，可不可以也給他留一份，我說那當然了。
照片沖出來後，我發現那天拍的每一張都很成功，尤其是這張Michael 抱著Elia 的（如圖），我很喜歡。25年後的今天再看這張照片，看著照片裏Michael 那神采飛揚的眼神，甜美燦爛的笑容，怎麼能讓人不難過？！那時他給我的印象是個健康，快樂，安靜的人。當時他的專輯< Thriller> 轟動一時。我清楚地記得拍照那天正是他的單曲< Beat It > 剛剛發行的第四天。我們在餐館拍完照片的十天后，他就贏得了八項格萊美獎。這之後，我們很快又在金殿餐館裏碰到了他，他看上去容光煥發，但同時卻又因為自己的巨大成功而顯得有些不好意思。
這張MJ 和Elia 的照片已經跟著我走了大半個地球了。我有個習慣，每次出遠門，我都會隨身帶一些家庭合影的照片。每次當別人看到這張MJ 和Elia 的合影時，他們都會很吃驚。不管我去哪兒，俄羅斯，中國，緬甸。。。人們都知道Michael Jackson。我得承認，作為一個記者，在採訪中用這種方式確實會比較容易打破堅冰，緩和現場的氣氛，而且還可以拉近與被採訪者之間的距離。隨著時間的推移，這些年來，MJ 看上去越來越不像這張照片裏的他了。雖然現在他離開了我們，但我還是很想與大家一起分享這張照片，因為這裏的他看上去愉快，平和，對世界對自己都能坦然地予以接受。這正是我願意永遠記住的Michael 的樣子。
Michael Jackson: A Photo to Remember
It was just by coincidence that I became acquainted with Michael Jackson. It was 1983 and my wife, Flora, was pregnant with our first child. Frequently, we ate at a vegetarian restaurant called The Golden Temple. Generally we went during the hours between lunch and dinner. There were few other customers during that time period, but there was one other regular: Michael Jackson. He had recently become a vegetarian, and he was fascinated to follow the progress of a vegetarian pregnancy. When our son, Elijah, was born in June, Michael was excited to see him. Once he asked me what it was like to be a father, and he told me that that was what he wanted most of all in life: to have a child of his own to take care of. Even then, there was something poignant about this man who had not been allowed to be a normal child himself wanting to be a father.
On February 18, 1984, when Elijah was eight months old, we took him to The Golden Temple. There were no others customers except Michael and his 13-year-old friend, Emmanuel Lewis, who was known to the world as "Webster." Michael said that he wished he had a camera because he wanted his picture taken with Elijah. My wife had a camera in her bag, but no film. Michael suggested that she could get some film at a nearby drugstore and asked if he and Emmanuel could take care of Elijah while we waited. When Flora returned, Michael suggested various poses and she snapped a number of photos of Elijah with Michael and Emmanuel. Michael asked for copies of the prints when they were developed.
Each of the photos turned out to be of interest, but there was one, of Michael holding Elijah in his arms, that stood out. Looking at it today, 25 years later, and seeing Michael's bright look and clear smile, I can't help but feel sad. He looked healthy, happy and untroubled. His album Thriller had caused a sensation. "Beat It" had been released only four days earlier. And ten days after that afternoon at The Golden Temple, he won eight Grammy Awards. When we next saw him at the restaurant just after his night of triumph, he was beaming, but he also seemed a bit embarrassed by his success.
I got a lot of mileage out of that photo of Michael Jackson and Elijah. Whenever I traveled, I brought with a packet of family photos. The Michael and Elijah photo was the last in the set, and when people got to it, they were usually stunned. Wherever I went, China, Russia, Burma, Tahiti, everyone recognized Michael Jackson. I have to admit that, as a journalist, I used it to put people at ease when I wanted to interview them.
As the years passed, Michael Jackson looked less and less like the Michael in the photo. His skin color changed; the shape of his nose and face changed; and that look of happiness and contentment disappeared.
Now that he is gone, I want to share that photo of Michael Jackson, from a time when he appeared to be at peace with himself and with the world. This is the way I want to remember him.
It was just by coincidence that I became acquainted with Michael Jackson. It was 1983 and my wife, Flora, was pregnant with our first child. Frequently, we ate at a vegetarian restaurant called The Golden Temple. Generally we went during the hours between lunch and dinner. There were few other customers during that time period, but there was one other regular: Michael Jackson. He had recently become a vegetarian, and he was fascinated to follow the progress of a vegetarian pregnancy. When our son, Elijah, was born in June, Michael was excited to see him. Once he asked me what it was like to be a father, and he told me that that was what he wanted most of all in life: to have a child of his own to take care of. Even then, there was something poignant about this man who had not been allowed to be a normal child himself wanting to be a father.
On February 18, 1984, when Elijah was eight months old, we took him to The Golden Temple. There were no others customers except Michael and his 13-year-old friend, Emmanuel Lewis, who was known to the world as "Webster." Michael said that he wished he had a camera because he wanted his picture taken with Elijah. My wife had a camera in her bag, but no film. Michael suggested that she could get some film at a nearby drugstore and asked if he and Emmanuel could take care of Elijah while we waited. When Flora returned, Michael suggested various poses and she snapped a number of photos of Elijah with Michael and Emmanuel. Michael asked for copies of the prints when they were developed.
Each of the photos turned out to be of interest, but there was one, of Michael holding Elijah in his arms, that stood out. Looking at it today, 25 years later, and seeing Michael's bright look and clear smile, I can't help but feel sad. He looked healthy, happy and untroubled. His album Thriller had caused a sensation. "Beat It" had been released only four days earlier. And ten days after that afternoon at The Golden Temple, he won eight Grammy Awards. When we next saw him at the restaurant just after his night of triumph, he was beaming, but he also seemed a bit embarrassed by his success.
I got a lot of mileage out of that photo of Michael Jackson and Elijah. Whenever I traveled, I brought with a packet of family photos. The Michael and Elijah photo was the last in the set, and when people got to it, they were usually stunned. Wherever I went, China, Russia, Burma, Tahiti, everyone recognized Michael Jackson. I have to admit that, as a journalist, I used it to put people at ease when I wanted to interview them.
As the years passed, Michael Jackson looked less and less like the Michael in the photo. His skin color changed; the shape of his nose and face changed; and that look of happiness and contentment disappeared.
Now that he is gone, I want to share that photo of Michael Jackson, from a time when he appeared to be at peace with himself and with the world. This is the way I want to remember him.
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