Thriller

In memory of Michael Jackson, Ken downloaded the Thriller music video. “Why wouldn’t you download Thriller?” he said, when I asked him what had prompted him to want to replay that 13-minute zombie video over and over again when you could just listen to the song.

I think he also thought that seeing this video is part of Nora’s cultural edification. And he also thought that showing it to her now – at 18 months – was a good idea.

I wasn’t so sure.

I mean, it’s scary. Sure there’s good dancing and the song is great to dance to. Nora had already started bopping to it when clips played repeatedly on the news. But watching zombies when you are so little?

So we watched. And like with all things television, Nora sat there mesmerized. And bopping up and down. Until the zombies started to come out and the music paused for the scary voiceover. “Uh-oh” she said – right on cue. Ken and I looked at each other. I with the I-told-you-this-would-scare-her look and he with the I-told-you-she-would-love-this look. And Nora sat there, with her thumb in her mouth, watching the zombies, sometimes bopping to the music and continually saying, “uh-oh.”

The next day, while I was cooking dinner, Ken decided to have her watch Thriller again. She again said “uh-oh” right at the appropriate time. She sucked her thumb to soothe away her fears. Or so I thought.

I popped my head over the counter in the kitchen, glaring at Ken. “I question your parenting skills,” I said, half jokingly, as the video was ending. Ken stared back, unrelenting. And again, right on cue, the music ended and Nora said, “more?”

I guess Ken wins.