Nadine, your sentiments are so sweet. :wub: Michael would have hated being thought of as a monk or a saint. He worked extra hard to remove himself from the virginal, goody two shoes, angelic image, which is why no interview went by without him letting people know he was not perfect. He did strive to be like Christ, but Christ--while sweet and innocent in his treatment of people and his quest to make sure every person who encountered him walked away feeling loved and understood--was tough, a survivor, a renegade, and didn't let anyone push him around or tell him what to do. He even told Donny Osmond to do the same and Donny says to this day that he wishes he took that advice.
Michael had a way of speaking his death depending on where his head was at the time. When he told her that, he had suffered from a dependency. Surely he wondered at that time if that would be his fate given the circumstances that were going on when he was suffering (being called everything but a child of God, so called friends publically humiliating him, a hasty marriage that was falling apart) This is what happened to Elvis. He was quite broken by people he thought were his friends and taking too many pills. (don't get me started on that "doctor" of his who--incidently--has written a book about Elvis. I wish Lisa Marie would publically call him out, but I doubt she has the strength anymore--especially right now) His daughter was no doubt his only reason for getting up in the morning. He had not worked in a while, gotten out of shape, and was declining rapidly in health. His broken heart just finally gave out.
Fast forward to 1997 and Michael is in a much happier place. He's got a new wife and (depending on what you believe) his ex-wife is now his best girlfriend and his most fondest dream has come true--he's now a father. His dependency is far behind him, he's on tour, and feeling incredibly joyful. And then his beloved Princess Diana (someone for whom he had been nursing a secret passion--someone he thought often about marrying--and would have asked if he could have conjured up the nerve) is tragically killed and he reveals for the first time his fear of dying in the same manner. (I say murder)
Fast forward to 2003-2005 and Michael is in a dire situation. Even though he is fully confident in his innocence, it is clear to him that the conspirators are having another go at him. And Michael expressed concern about being poisoned. (Again, his fear of being killed)
Fast forward to 2008 and he is in a good place again, possibly even better than where he was in 1997. He's free, he has a crystal clear view of who his true friends are (the ones that were there in 1993 and continued to be there in 2005 and were STILL there) he is in celebratory mode, he has had time to rest and restore his sense of peace, and he's ready to actively began working again. Yet here he laments over James Brown not stopping to enjoy the fruits of his labor and saying he did not want to go out in such a manner either.
It is at this point--I truly believe--that Michael was ready to grow as old as it would have taken for him to see who his three beautiful children would become. Thoughts of dying like Elvis, and even Lady Diana are part of a past he no longer feels connected to. He is older, wiser, and still yearning to learn more. I believe with all my heart that he was looking fondly forward to a long life--finally bringing his dreams of filmmaking to fruition and even more charitable pursuits. I believe he was looking forward to finishing out his baby goal--10 to 13. Would he have married again? Possibly. (If Miss Ross had called. :cheeky
The death prophecy that seemed to concern him most in later years--being poisoned--was fulfilled. He didn't die like Elvis (as he once thought if you believe what Lisa Marie Presley says) or James Brown (as he himself said he did not want) Like his beloved Lady Diana (again if you believe such) he was killed.
Out of respect for Jackson, Cage, Keough, and Lockwood, she should not write about any of them. (Actually, if she was going to write a book, I think she would have already.) Michael can't defend himself anymore and we can say for certain would not have even bothered to comment on a book of hers as he had gotten over her. Cage wouldn't because he is over her as well and that doesn't seem to be his style either. She is taking care of Keough and Lockwood so she can say what she wants about them but they are her children's fathers--it wouldn't be cool. She can't have been turning cartwheels when her mother wrote her book. Many Elvis fans didn't appreciate it given she wasn't even his widow; it can't have been easy for her since he was her father and she adored him. There isn't much about her life--outside of her Dad and her marriages--that many people would find terribly interesting (except us fans of her) Perhaps the Scientology thing or to diss her mother. I would hate for that to happen with them. It's hard enough watching Candy and Tori Spelling having a go at one another.
Even though Joe DiMaggio was very briefly married to Marilyn Monroe, he did not speak about her or write about her. He took their relationship--and everything that happened in it--to the grave. Whether or not he still loved her will continue to be up for debate. But he had enough respect for her not to use her name and his connection to her for attention or even to share his pain. And for that I will respect him forever.
