LeeAnn Prescott - Escape From Nowhere

My Michael Jackson Love Affair

In 1984, I was 12 and Michael Jackson was the King of Pop. The album "Thriller" was the world's best selling album, and won 8 Grammy Awards. I had my first celebrity crush. I was (secretly) in love.

We didn't have a TV, so I couldn't watch his videos. We had a stereo, but I was too shy to ask my parents to buy me a copy of Thriller. I listened to the radio all the time to see how many Michael Jackson songs I could hear in a day. I cut out every newspaper article I found about him, and desperately wanted a poster, some pop magazines, and a biography, but I never asked anyone for these things. I tried to keep my crush a secret from my parents, because I had the impression they wouldn't approve. They were anti-establishment everything, and this included buying new clothes, new cars, and anything that would identify us as "mainstream." I decided that my love of an artist who sold millions of records would classify me as mainstream, so I tried to keep it to myself.

When I was 11, I got a velvet notebook with a horse on the cover as a gift from a friend of my mother's. It became my treasured book of secrets. As a tribute to Michael Jackson, I am publishing the content I wrote about him, under dire warning from my 12-year-old self: "If anyone tries to read the contents of this book, may they not live to remember anything they read!!!!! This is MY PERSONAL PROPERTY."

My Secrets,* 3/22/84
The dream I had the other night where I met Michael Jackson and he did handsprings on top of two cars.

I want to write a letter to Michael Jackson and be pen pals with him.

I want to meet Michael someday (preferably before I turn 13).

I have newspaper articles about him and I treasure then. Michael is my very favorite singer.

I want Michael to come and stay in Benton - then he would not be lonely any more.

I wish he could teach me to dance like himself.

When I heard 'Billie Jean' on the radio, I was so happy to hear Michael's real voice. I listened carefully and heard all the variations in his voice. I decided not to listen to the radio anymore today. When the song was over, I was so happy I started grinning, and now, 15 minutes later, I am still grinning. I will not stop until I have to speak. I love his voice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

* These things may not be my secrets if I meet Michael Jackson. They will be shared between us.

3/23/84
Last night I had a dream that Cheryl was going to the store and buying Michael Jackson clothes to try to excite me, but I didn't care. (And I wouldn't if she really did because they would be stupid.)

I had another one that I had last week's People Magazine (it has an article about Michael Jackson in it) and somebody took it from me and I was mad, because I wanted to read about Michael. Then Michael came and I met him, so I didn't have to read the article.

I think all those posters and t-shirts and pins of Michael Jackson are stupid. They are a waste of money, but kids go crazy over them and Michael and the dealers are making money. I am happy with my newspaper clippings.

I was very happy to hear 'Human Nature' yesterday. Now all I want to hear is 'P.Y.T.' and 'Beat It.' That would make me very happy.

I hope that Michael Jackson comes in concert to Lyndonville. Then I could meet him, and he could come to our house.

The other day I also heard 'Want to Be Starting Something.' I was very happy.

I thank God for letting me hear the songs on the radio. Thank you! Thank you!

4/16/84
I have been pretending that Michael Jackson is here and staying with us. I started doing this when we were coming up from Florida in the car.

We bought a 1970 Plymouth Valiant in Florida that year. On the way back to New Hampshire, Papa drove the truck with the RV behind it and Cheryl drove the Plymouth. I spent my time in the backseat fantasizing about Michael.

I wish I could meet him (in real life) real soon and he could live with us or real near and come here every day. I would like to do a dance with him for the recital to Breakdance.

That year at the ballet recital, we did a dance to a Michael Jackson song. I carefully sewed at least 100 sequins on an old lady's glove we picked up at a yard sale. I wore it at the recital and felt like I was the closest person to Michael since I had a shiny glove.

7/28/84
I don't know why I keep lying to myself about liking Michael Jackon. I know I like him a lot, but I just can't tell anybody. I do wish I had a few posters or pictures of him to put up in my room. Oh, well!

I really hope to go to one of his concerts (by winning that thing in USA Today)

I start looking forward to my runs now because I always dream of crazy ways how I meet Michael at a concert or conversations with him. I may start running Sundays.

I started running during the spring of that year - I went out on 3 mile runs every day by myself.

8/2/84
Well I didn't win that contest in USA Today, but luckily they're having another one, so maybe I'll win that.

We went over to Richard's today and he says he thinks Michael Jackson is queer. He has a pin that says "I hate Michael Jackson." We also went to the Littleton Bookstore, and they have 5 or 6 books on Michael Jackson. I want all of them, but I think Body and Soul is the best ($10.95).

8/21/84
I haven't found yet whether I'll win tickets to the concert. I'll find out Thursday (23rd). I can't wait.

I didn't win the tickets, and my love of Michael Jackson dissipated when I went to school that fall. I started having relationships with real people, and I no longer needed my lonely obsession.

Thank you, Michael for giving us your music, and inspiring us to dance, sing, and sew sequins on gloves.

The Maker Family's Outdoor Solar Shower

A few weekends ago, I went to the Maker Faire in San Mateo. As I stared in wonder at things like a life size mousetrap or a puppy mover monorail, I thought about ingenuity and what drives people to envision something, and decide to make it themselves.

My parents are makers, but of the practical kind. They see something they want, and decide to build it themselves in order to save money. Papa built our house in New Hampshire almost entirely by himself, with only help from my mother and occasionally some friends. He drew up the plans for the house based on plans in a book. He did the wiring and plumbing. If there was something he didn't know how to do, he would ask someone or get a book from the library.

The outdoor solar shower is a great example of Papa's inner maker. In the second summer we spent in New Hampshire, in 1982, the basement was not yet done, which means the house had no bathroom or shower. There was a water pump that sat in the dirt beneath the house to pump water from the well. We had a gas hot water heater for the kitchen sink and a shower stall that stood outside next to the house. This shower worked perfectly well, but Papa wanted to save money on propane by harnessing the power of the sun to heat our water.

There were many trees that needed to be cleared from the property, so when Papa cut down trees to build a bigger parking area at the top of the driveway, he kept some of the straight ones intact instead of cutting them up for firewood. He placed four logs upright in the ground in a shower sized square, and built a platform on the bottom. He then built a platform on the top, upon which he placed a 50-gallon drum that was painted black. A hose from the house filled the barrel with water. There was a spout that came out of the drum and it had holes in it to resemble a shower head. The log posts were wrapped in black plastic for warmth and privacy. The idea was that the sun would heat the water in the drum, and gravity would provide the necessary pressure to make it a shower. This was to be a luxurious outdoor shower experience.

But summertime in New Hampshire is fickle. It rarely gets above 80 degrees. Our property sloped to the North, so even in the southern corner, the forest made a full day of sun non-existent. When I used the shower, I tried very hard to like it. The lukewarm water dripped on my head, and the lack of pressure made rinsing shampoo from my hair difficult. I looked up and could see the trees, but I could also see the dirt of the driveway through the cracks in the platform. The wood was not treated, so slivers felt imminent. But this was grand, this was living off the land!

I longed for a ceramic tub with a high pressure shower. In a room with a toilet.

I used the solar shower a couple of times. I tried to stay at my friend Erika's house often so I could bathe there. Soon my parents switched back to the outdoor metal shower stall with its water pressure and hot water from the propane tank. Some things in life are worth paying for, and I believe water pressure, hot water, a shower stall and a septic system are well worth the money.