Written by: Hadley Balser Photo By Sam Emerson in 1986 From the ages of 7 to 12, Michael Jackson was my favorite artist of all time. I dressed as him for Halloween, learned the “Beat It” dance, and owned posters, pillows, and other memorabilia. To this day, he remains one of my top ten artists. I went into middle school with stars in my eyes, no idea of the conversation that awaited me about my favorite pop star. I remember it vividly, even now: In the lunch line, I was talki