Conversations

with various Salvadorans about the death of Michael Jackson:

Thursday night, my host mother Esperanza calls out to me from her porch as I am walking back from the latrine, ignorant of the news.

ESPERANZA: Were you just in your house crying for Michael Jackson?
ME: ...no...why should I cry for Michael Jackson? He's crazy.
ESPERANZA: He's dead.
ME: No. I don't believe you.
ESPERANZA: He died of a heart attack.
ME: But he was still young...really?
ESPERANZA: Here, we'll turn on the news right now. I thought you were in your house crying.

We watch the news.

ESPERANZA: Aren't you going to cry?

Some time later...

ESPERANZA: I mean, Michael Jackson, everyone in the world knows him. And he is so rich. So very rich. So rich he even went to the moon.
ME: Huh?
ESPERANZA: Michael Jackson. He went to the moon.
ME: What? No. No singer has ever gone to the moon. Not even Lance Bass...
ESPERANZA: But they said it on the news, that he walked on the moon.
ME: What? Do you mean...the Moon Walk?
ESPERANZA: Right. When he walked on the moon. He even has property on the moon.

After my lengthy explanation, the host family is finally set straight.

ALL, REPEATEDLY: Dance! Dance like Michael Jackson did on TV!
ME, REPEATEDLY: I can't! I don't even think it's possible on a concrete porch in sandals!

The next morning...

ESPERANZA: Were you scared by the ghost of Michael Jackson last night?
ME: Huh?
ESPERANZA: You don't worry that Michael Jackson will haunt you?
ME: No. I don't believe in ghosts. Plus, why would Michael Jackson haunt me? He doesn't know me.
ESPERANZA: You don't believe in ghosts? But what would you do if someone died and then you saw them in the street?
ME: I wouldn't see them. They would be dead.
ESPERANZA: I think Michael Jackson is haunting you.
ME: Why? Because I am the only gringa here?
ESPERANZA: .....

Text messages from a high school student named Anderson in my site

Hi! I am in pain, my favorite artist died.

I have cried oceans like you have no idea I am very sad.

I am watching an appreciation they're doing I think the best one has died.

Do you know, I like the songs EARS SONG, BILLIEAN, USA OF AFRICA and TRILLER.

***
Paz, amor y RIP Michael Jackson, Farah Fawcett, and more importantly the Metro Red Line victims, one of whom was a Salvadoran immigrant and has therefore been on the news here.