by Doris Miller
It is two weeks later. It is 7:00 Saturday evening. The theater lobby is packed with people. There are teenage girls in the crowd as one of them says, “Are Mike and Mitch going to be on the show?”
“No we won’t be seeing Mike and Mitch for a while,” a second girl says. “Mike and Mitch got into trouble again and they were sent to live in Germany for a while.”
“Yeah that’s what I heard,” a third girl says.
“So that means we won’t get to see them at any of the Diaz-Davidson’s organization events for a while?” the first girl asks.
“I guess not,” the second girl says.
“Ah man. I’m gonna really miss them.”
“Yeah me too,” the third girl says.
“Me too,” a fourth girl says.
“A lot of people miss them,” the second girl says. The teenage girls become sad.
“Hey, I know what!” the first girl shouts. “Maybe we can take a trip to Germany and see them!”
“Sandy, you’re dreaming right?”
“No I’m not dreaming! I hear the Diaz Davidson Organization is going to do a show in Germany in the future! If we go to Germany to see their show, maybe we can get to see Mike and Mitch there!”
“Well good luck! My family and I can’t afford to go to Germany.”
“Neither can my family,” the fourth girl says.
“Well hopefully Mike and Mitch will come back to The States again then we’ll get to see them again.”
“I hope so too,” the third girl says.
It is an hour later inside the theater. The show has been going on for a while. Male white reporters around their mid 40’s and cameras are at the stage. A Hispanic male announcer around his late 30’s comes on the stage with a microphone in his hand. He speaks into the microphone and shouts, “Ladies and gentleman, are you ready for the next performance?!”
“Yeeeaah!” the crowd shouts.
“Okay Ladies and gentleman, here are Diane D and The Dianettes!” The crowd starts to scream and cheer as the African dancers come out on stage dancing. The Dianettes flip a few times out onto the middle and back of the stage. They then dance past the African dancers towards the front of the stage. Diane D comes out with the microphone in her hand singing as the crowd screams and cheers. Reporters watch Diane D and the Dianettes dance. The reporters become stunned.
Five minutes later, Diane D and the Dianettes finish their performance. The crowd screams and cheers as Diane D and the Dianettes take a bow. The reporters stare at Diane D and The Dianettes stunned. Diane D and the Dianettes turn and leave the stage. One reporter turns to the other and says, “You know it's so remarkable and so uncanny how Diane D and the Dianettes all dance so perfect like that. I've seen several of their shows before and those girls never once miss a step or beat!”
“Yeah I notice that,” the second reporter says. “They must do an awful lot of practice.”
“Practice? We think it's more than practice.”
“More than practice? What do you mean more than practice?”
“Don't you see? Look at how perfect they danced!”
“Yeah they danced perfect, so what? What's wrong with that?”
“They're too perfect! Something is not right about that. We're going to have to have an investigation as to what's going on.” The reporters and investigators turn and leave from near the stage.
At the Diaz-Davidson Organization, Vivian hurries through the organization hallway to a door holding a male toddler and lots of books in her arms. Margarita quickly comes out of the door wearing her hair hanging around her back and shoulders with bangs on her forehead, a grey sleeveless and shoulderless shirt and black pants. She bumps right into Vivian. The books drop right on the floor as the toddler almost falls. Margarita bends down and quickly catches the toddler as the toddler starts to cry. Margarita holds on to the toddler and tries to calm him. Diane D, Charlotte and Lonna, dressed in identical sleeveless silver blouses and the rest of Diane D’s family and relatives come behind Margarita as Margarita says to the toddler, “There there, it's okay. Don't cry, I got you.” Marilyn takes the toddler as Nicolas bends down and picks the books up.
“What happened Grandma?” Diane D says.
“The baby almost fell but he's gonna be just fine.”
Evette approaches Diane D and says, “Oh Diane, I just came to tell you that the investigators are downstairs now.”
“Yeah I was just on my way down there,” Diane D says.
Nicolas stands back up with the books as Margarita says, “Here, I'll take those.” Nicolas hands Margarita the books.
“Listen Grandma,” Diane D says. “I'm gonna find out what the heck these investigators want.”
“Yeah I'm coming too.” Margarita put the books aside as Diane D and everyone else hurry away. Margarita follows Diane D and the rest down the hallway.
Inside the organization lounge, Diane D and the Dianettes are sitting on stools lined against each other with Diane D being in the middle as Margarita stands beside them. A few reporters are in the room with them. A middle-aged white female reporter with dark hair says, “Now Diane D, these investigators and police have come here to the Diaz-Davidson Organization today, because they want to know, if you put steroids or some other kind of power drug or some hypnotic drug in the food you cook for your family, especially the Dianettes to make them perform real good.”
“What!” Diane D and the Dianettes.
“Where the hell do you get this crazy idea from?!” Diane D says.
“Diane doesn't put drugs in anybody's food!” Margarita shouts.
“What kind of person do you think I am?!”
“Well your brothers claimed in an interview before that you cook food for your family and the Dianettes,” the female reporter says. “The investigators think that maybe you might be secretly putting some sort of power drug in the Dianettes food without them even knowing it because you all perform too perfect. Nobody or any group of people dance that perfect or jump and twirl that high in the air. We are wondering if you put anything in the Dianettes food.”
“No I don’t! Anybody could dance perfect like that if they practice enough!”
“Yeah one person can dance perfect, but a whole group of girls dancing perfect like that together without missing a beat or movement?! That's kind of strange.”
“It is,” a white male reporter says. “Diane D if we find out you secretly put drugs in the Dianettes food, charges could be filed against you.”
“Diane is not drugging us!” the Dianettes shout.
“That's right!” Margarita shouts. “So you all can take your crazy accusations out of here!”
“What's crazy about it?” the male reporter asks.
“It's crazy because it's not true!” the Dianettes say.
“It isn't true!” Diane D shouts. “And I don't appreciate any of you suspecting me of doing something like that! We're being investigated because we dance too perfect?! Have you guys ever heard of the term 'practice makes perfect'?! We dance well because we practice and rehearse at it just like anybody else would do! What the hell is wrong with that?!”
“Other dance groups don't seem to dance too perfect like you all do,” says the male reporter.
“So we're supposed to dance not too perfect just to please you guys?! No it's not gonna happen! We want to give the crowd our best performance, that's all we want to do. If the crowd is happy with our performances, then why can't you guys be happy?!”
“We are happy with your performances Diane D, but if there's a slight chance that you might be secretly slipping some kind of drugs or any other illegal substance in these girls food, we can't be happy with that.”
“There's no drugs in anybody's food!” Margarita shouts.
“Okay prove it to us. Why don't you all give us your best performance right now.”
“Give you our best performance?” Diane D says.
“Yeah. Just so you
can prove to us there's no power drug creating your performance.”
“Okay. Even though this whole idea sounds crazy, we'll give you our performance.“ Diane D turns to the Dianettes and says. “Come girls let's step this way.“ Diane D and the Dianettes step up off the stools and go to the other side of the room. They sit on other stools lined up with Diane D at the far right end. Diane D and the Dianettes start to sing as the investigators reporters watch them stunned.
The following day, several people are at the bus stop reading an article in the newspaper with a headline that reads: INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT DIANE D OF PUTTING SOME SORT OF SUPER DRUG IN THE FOOD SHE COOKS FOR DIANETTES! INVESTIGATORS AND POLICE COME TO FAMILY ORGANIZATION AND QUESTION DIANE D!: “Oh my God!” a woman says. “Look at this article! It says right here that reporters and investigators had came to the Diaz-Davidson Organization yesterday and questioned Diane D and wanted to know does she put steroids or some other kind of power drug in the food she cooks for the Dianettes to make them perform real good!”
“Yeah, I saw that article,” one of the men says. “Can you believe it?! They think Diane D might be drugging the Dianettes! That's crazy!”
“It is,” a second woman says. “The police claim if Diane D puts drugs in the Dianettes’ food, they're gonna arrest her and file charges against her.”
“They want to arrest Diane D?” a second man asks.
“If they find out she be secretly putting drugs in the Dianettes’ food.”
“Wasn't Diane D arrested before with her cousin Dana?”
“Yeah,” the first woman says.
“And now they want to arrest her again?”
“Yeah, if she's drugging the Dianettes, she'll be right back in jail.” The people continue to look at the article.
It is one week later. Diane D and the Dianettes who are all dressed identically are at a TV Station sitting on a ledge with Diane D in the middle. Maxine Carter, a middle aged white female TV reporter with blonde hair speaks into the camera and says, “Hello, I'm Maxine Carter. I'm here with Diane D and the Dianettes after Diane D was questioned by reporters last week about a possible drug use going on at the Diaz-Davidson home or organization.” Maxine Carter turns around to Diane D and the Dianettes and says, “So how are you ladies doing? Welcome to the Maxine Carter Show. Now Diane D, I understand that some reporters came to your family's organization and wanted to question you and your family about possible drug use going on with you and the Dianettes’ performance. Why do these reporters think there is some sort of drugs involved in your performances?”
“Because they claim we dance too perfect to be true,” Diane D says. “I don't appreciate anybody accusing me of using drugs or putting drugs in anybody's food! What the hell is wrong with them? What's wrong with anybody giving a good performance?!”
“It's not that the performance is good Diane D. Is just that they think your performance is too good. They're trying to find out what your secret is.”
“Secret? There is no secret! What's secret about it?! We practice! We rehearse at what we're doing! We've been dancing together since we were kids! Sooner or later we'll get tuned to each other and the performance will come to us like nothing! Of course we mess up our steps at times when we practice! If any of us mess up on our steps, we practice at it again until we get the steps right! What's wrong with doing that?”
“Nothing I guess.”
“Listen, we're human, we make mistakes just like everybody else.”
“But Diane D, you're the one who does all the choreography, don't you?”
“Yeah, and?”
“Do you give these girls steroids or anything like that to make them perform great?”
“No I do not!”
“Is there something inside all of your shoes to make you all jump and twirl real high?”
“No there isn't! There's nothing inside ours shoes but our feet! I told you we rehearse and practice! That's real absurd for you, the reporters, the police and the investigators to even think, that I would try to harm anybody with drugs or have something put in our shoes! The police and investigators got the nerve to talk about arresting me and throwing me in jail if their speculations about me putting some super drug in the girls' food is true! I don't need this pressure on my back!”
“They told you if their speculations are true, they're gonna arrest you and throw you in jail?”
“Yeah that's what they told us when they were leaving the organization!”
“I'm sorry you all had to go through that. Your performances are great and I absolutely enjoy your performances.”
“Thank you.”
“And I thank you for coming here.” Maxine Carter turns to the camera and says, “So ladies and gentleman you heard it from Diane D herself, she does not put drugs in her or the Dianettes’ food that she cooks for them and I believe her. And that’s all we have for right now Ladies and Gentlemen. See you next time.” Maxine Carter turns away from the camera back towards Diane D and the Dianettes.
A few days later inside a dance studio hallway, Diane D and the Dianettes walk down the hallway dressed in identical horizontal maroon and blue striped shirts with matching maroon leggings as they talk and laugh a little. “So where're the other outfits Grandma's supposed to pick out for us?” Nancy asks.
“They should be upstairs already,” Diane D says. “Let's go check them out.”
“Okay,” the Dianettes say. Diane D and the Dianettes are about to hurry down the hallway. All of a sudden there is a loud knock on the door. Diane D and the Dianettes become startled and look towards the door.
Diane D and the Dianettes go to the window. They take a peak through the window. They see a bunch of anxious reporters and investigators outside. Diane D starts to sing and shout, “Oh my god, oh my god! When these people gonna stop, comiing?”
“Oh my god, oh my god!” the Dianettes sing in chorus.
“When these people gonna stop, comiing?” Diane D sings as she starts to walk down the hall with the Dianettes following behind her and sing, “Oh my god, oh my god!”
“When these people gonna stop, comiing?” Diane D continues to sing. The reporters and investigators come around all the windows around the room peaking through the windows, trying to speak to Diane D questioning her about the Dianettes as she and the Dianettes continue to walk and sing looking around the windows at the reporters and investigators.
FLASHBACK:
Diane D and Dianettes are suddenly on a stage dressed in gold halter like tops with matching mini-skirts and matching golden sandals with their long hairs all loosed out around the back and sides as they spread out across the stage in a straight line with Diane D going towards the far right front, singing and dancing, “Oh my god, oh my god!”
“When these people gonna stop, comiing?” Diane D sings.
“Oh my god, oh my god!” the Dianettes sing.
“When these people gonna stop, comiing?” Diane D sings again.
BACK TO THE PRESENT:
Back in the hallway, the reporters bang on the windows as the Dianettes sing to Diane D not to go near the door, “Here we go again don’t go near the door, don’t open the door, don‘t look out the door.” The reporters and investigators bang on the window as the Dianettes sing to Diane D not to go to window, “Here we go again don’t go near window, don’t open window, don‘t look out window.” The reporters and investigators ring the telephone as the Dianettes sing to Diane D not to go to the phone or answer it, “Here we go again don’t go near the phone, don’t pick up the phone, don‘t answer the phone.” The reporters and investigators slip mail and notes under the door. Diane D and the Dianettes see two larges notes that says: DIANE D, WHAT ARE YOU AND THE DIANETTES SECRET? TELL US THE STORY! Diane D becomes frustrated as the Dianettes sing to her not to go to the mail, “Here we go again don’t go near the mail, don’t look at the mail, don‘t open the mail.” Diane D picks up the note and tears
it up. She angrily starts to go to the window as the Dianettes pull her back a little. Diane D breaks away from the Dianettes and fiercely go to the windows. She starts to sing to the reporters and investigators, “I don’t really have to volunteer my story, I don’t really have to volunteer! I don’t really have to tell you my story, I don’t have to really tell you! I don’t really care to tell you my story, I don’t really care to tell you!”
Back on the stage, Diane D and Dianettes sing and dance again, “Oh my god, oh my god!”
“When these people gonna stop comiing?” Diane D sings.
“Oh my god, oh my god!” the Dianettes sing.
“When these people gonna stop.....comiing?” Diane D sings again.
Back in the hallway, the reporters and investigators bang on the door and windows again. They slip another large note under the door. Diane D and the Dianettes see the large note saying: STOP IGNORING US DIANE D!! Diane D becomes frustrated again. She bends down and picks up the note. She bends back up and tears the note up. She angrily starts to go to the windows again as the Dianettes follow her in a single ling. Diane D sings to the reporters and investigators, “I won’t read any of your letters, anymore. Don't send me any of your letters, anymore.” Diane D and the Dianettes stand in a straight line and face forward. They start to clap, dance and sing again. “Oh my god, oh my god!” the Dianettes sing.
“When these people gonna stop comiing?” Diane D sings.
“Oh my god, oh my god!” the Dianettes sing again.
“When these people gonna stop comiing?” Diane D sings again. Suddenly the front door opens. The reporters are at the door. The Dianettes hurry to the door as the reporters try to question Diane D and the Dianettes. The Dianettes try to shove the reporters and investigators out the door as Diane D stands afar singing to the Dianettes, “Get rid of them riiight awaaay. Please send them as faaar awaay. And make sure they staaay awaaay.” The Dianettes finally get the reporters and investigators out the door. They then slam the door, singing, “Oh my god!”
Diane D suddenly appears through the Dianettes in front of them singing, “Oh my god! When these people gonna stop comiing?”
“Oh my god, oh my god!” the Dianettes sing.
“When these people gonna stop comiing?” Diane D sings as she starts to walk with the Dianettes following behind her in a diagnal line with three on each side of her continuing to walk, sing and dance.
Outside the window, the security guards are pushing the reporters back as the reporters desperately try to get back to the building.
Inside the dance studio, Diane D suspiciously smiles looking out the window singing, “When these people gonna stop comiing?”
The reporters desperately try to break away from the security guards.
Back in the hallway, Diane D leaves from the window and makes a gesture to the Dianettes. She suddenly turns her head around towards the window and sees the reporters breaking from the security guards. She sees them hurrying towards the building. She turns back to the Dianettes and hollers to them, “Run!” The Dianettes turn and run straight down the hall as Diane D runs behind them.
The reporters rush in the other doorway and look down the hallway, “There they go!” one of the reporters shout. “Let's get them!” The reporters hurry down the hallway.
Outside in an empty lot, a white male reporter hides behind the bushes. Diane D runs past him turning her head around towards the Dianettes shouting, “Let's hurry girls!” The Dianettes run past the reporter one by one. Charlotte is the last to run past the reporter. The reporter suddenly leaps out of the bushes. He grabs Charlotte causing her to fall to the ground as Diane D and the rest of the Dianettes run way up ahead. The reporter starts to tackle Charlotte. Another white male reporter comes and tackles Charlotte's shoes and shouts, “What is in your shoes?!”
“Yeah tell us what Diane D's secret is!” the first reporter shouts.
Charlotte looks towards Diane D and the rest of the Dianettes and screams, “Aaaaaahhh! Diane! Girls! Help! Aaaaaaah!”
“Aaaaah Charlotte!” the Dianettes voices shout. Angry footsteps are heard running back towards Charlotte.
The reporters continue to tackle Charlotte‘s feet. Charlotte suddenly bites down on one of the reporters’ arm. “Aaaaahhh!” the reporter hollers as he pulls his arm away from Charlotte‘s teeth grip! Diane D suddenly appears and stomps right on one of the reporters hand then kicks him hard in the face! Lonna, Miranda, Kelly and Bernice then appear and stomp on the reporters and kick them away from Charlotte. Diane D, Lonna, Miranda, Kelly and Bernice all wrap their arms around Charlotte and lift her off the ground! They take Charlotte and run off!
Diane D, Lonna, Miranda, Kelly and Bernice continue to run off with Charlotte as Nancy quickly approaches! Diane D makes a gesture for Nancy to turn back around and run! Diane D, Lonna, Miranda, Kelly, Bernice, Charlotte and Nancy continue to run as they all turn their heads and look back towards the reporters!
Chapter 5
Controversy At The Catering Hall
