Dear Michael Jackson

Sunday March 8 2009

Last night at the hotel we heard rumours that Michael would be leaving early the next morning, so we decide to get up early and head out. Me and EM, who was staying in my flat get to the hotel about 8am. We do a circuit of the building and are kinda surprised to find no other fans there. We come back to the back entrance of the hotel and stand at the corner, just underneath Michaels windows. We notice a car parked beside the hotel and wonder who it is. After awhile, a guy gets out of the car and comes over to us. Its a PAP, who has been tipped off by hotel secuirty that Michael would be leaving around 10am. Well as soon as we heard that, both me and EM get on our phones, texting and calling as many fans as we could, to get here NOW.

By 9.30am, we managed to get around 15 fans there,not bad for 1 hours notice . By this stage Michaels big white car had appeared at the hotel entrance, and we all took up positions along the barriers. It was a really sunny morning, cool, but not cold and the atmosphere among the fans was soo nice. We all knew each other, everyone was happy if majorily tired, we were talking about concert tickets and making plans for the summer.

I noticed the way the car was parked and that when the door was opened that it would be very close to the hotel building, so I managed to get a spot at the barrier which was directly in front of the car door. This ment that I was at the very end of the barrier, with the building wall on my left. The other fans were further along the barrier, not near me, and so one of the PAPS stood in the space beside me on my right.

At about 10.15am, the hotel door opened and security came out and put some hand luggage bags into the car and the driver got in and started the engines.

At around 10.30, the driver opened the passenger doors of the car, and Michael and his children walked out of the hotel. I was directly in front of Michael, screaming his name and waving a card,trying to get him to come over to the barriers to us. He looked right at me, smiled and started to come over, but then he saw the PAPS and changed his mind. He instead stood up on the car door frame, waving and blowing kisses to us.

The he got into the car and closed the doors. Almost immediatly, he opened the window where he was sitting in the car, and as the car started moving out of the car park, we were able to walk with the car, “posting” our letters and cards though the window to him, and telling him “goodbye” and “see you in July” and “have a safe journey”. The car turned out of the hotel property and into the London traffic. I just stood there, waving and blowing kisses until I couldnt see the car anymore.

That was the last time I ever saw him, 10.45am, Sunday 8 March 2009……….

ok, wasnt going to do this, but its all just in my head, might not make much sense……..

ok, its Tuesday and its only now that I can write about this. I was THE LAST PERSON to leave the exhibition on Sunday night.

I went with a friend and we went into the exhibition around 5.30pm. We went through it once, taking our time. There wasn’t that many people there so I was able to read every tiny bit of information and examine every thing in detail, more than I had on my previous visits, (this was my 5th visit) The atmosphere was very quiet, unlike other times, when there was a background of people chatting and excited children, this time, you could feel the sadness and grief in the air.

After going though the entire exhibition together, we doubled back and separated, each of us having some quiet time to take in all that we were seeing and experiencing.

I went back to the Neverland room, and sat in a corner, near the entrance, facing the arch. All I could think about was that day back in April 2005. I could see Michael, still wearing the clothes from the court, looking soo soo happy, I could feel the magic and happiness of the real Neverland, where for a few hours we escaped the reality of why we were in Santa Maria.

Just like back then, being in the Neverland room at the exhibition, helped me escape for a while the reality of June 25.

All too soon it was time to leave. The security guards came over and said they were closing now. As soon as I walked though the arch one last time, the tears started flowing. I just wanted to stay forever. As I looked back one last time, all I could hear in my heard was the echo of his laughter from that day in 2005…………

At the very end of the exhibition, we were the last ones writing in the books. My friend was still writing as the security were turning off the video and the main lights. They were very nice and didn’t hurry us, waiting patiently in near darkness for us. As soon as we finished writing, the manager came over and gathered up all the books, which were being shipped directly to the Jackson family first thing Monday morning.

We still manged to spend money in the shop, as the staff were very nice and didn’t rush us. I think they were surprised at how emotional we all were, we were not the only fans there and everyone was crying as they were leaving.

The exhibition is going to Tokyo in Japan next, opening sometime in May, for approx the same amount of time 5 or 6 months.

aggghhhh, whats with all the fighting among fans??? ok I know we were not all happy families before June 25, and there has always been divisions and cliques etc, but during 2004 /2005, we all stood side by side fighting for Michael. What the hell is happening now??