Lucky winners

Two lucky locals are among the chosen few randomly selected to attend Tuesday’s memorial service for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Cousins Jessica Davis, 19, and Hollie Soutter, 20, shared the news just before hopping a flight from Dulles International Airport this afternoon.

“I got paid Friday, so I’m ready,” said Soutter, a nursing student at Germanna Community College who lives in Cupleper and works at the Inn at Kelly’s Ford. “I totally emptied my tip jar too.”

Soutter and Davis graduated from Madison County High School. Davis is a rising junior at James Madison University studying social work; her summer job is at Project Supply pool store in Madison.

According to the Associated Press, more than 1.6 million people registered online for a chance to attend the memorial, but only 8,750 names were chosen — the odds being about 1 in 183. Each person selected received a pair of free tickets.

“I got an e-mail this morning,” said Davis. “I freaked out.”

The cousins, giddy with excitement over their good fortune, scurried to find airfare and a hotel near the Staples Center.

Right after flying into L.A., they have to be at Dodger Stadium by 6 p.m. Pacific Time to get a wristband and the coveted tickets — which are going on eBay for anywhere between $500 and $20,000.

Davis and Soutter went through Ticketmaster’s automated online process, so they’re pretty sure the tickets are legit. But these days, you never know.

“I’m praying it’s not a scam,” Davis said. “If it is, we’re going to L.A. for fun. We’ll go to the beach or something.”

The cousins admit that by the time they were born in 1989, Jackson’s best days were behind him.

“But we still love him,” Davis said.

“We don’t like this new pop stuff,” added Soutter, whose musical tastes make her a de facto child of the ’80s. “We like the old pop. Our fathers taught us well.”