by Doris Miller
It is Friday 12:00 noon. Inside a hospital hallway, several black senior citizen ladies are standing around talking and laughing with a senior black gentleman.
Inside one of the hospital rooms Diane D who is dressed in a white turtleneck shirt, gray dungarees and black shoes stands and leans against a wall near Mrs. Mosley, an elderly black woman who’s in a wheel chair. Diane D pours some pills in a small cup. Diane D, in her deep baritone voice, speaks firmly to Mrs. Mosley and says, “Come on now Mrs. Mosley, you have to take your medication.”
“Oh no, do I have to take that thing again?” Mrs. Mosley says. “It tastes horrible.”
“Well you have to take the medication in order to get well.”
Diane D’s husband Michael comes into the room and quickly approaches her. “Diane, we just got a phone call from the shelter across the street,” he says. “One of the children over there Eric was climbing on a ladder and fell off of it!”
“What!” Diane D says.
“Yeah! So we brought him to the emergency room right away!”
“You did? So Eric is here in this hospital now?”
“Yeah. Your family is down in the emergency room with Eric right now!”
“Okay.” Diane D turns to Mrs. Mosley. She bends down to Mrs. Mosley and says, “Mrs. Mosley, there’s been an accident at the shelter. My family brought the victim here to the emergency room. I have to get down there right now. I’ll let you slide with your medication this time, but when I get back up here, I want you to take your medication and not give me a hard time, alright?”
“Okay Miss Diane,” Mrs. Mosley says.
“Good.” Diane D stands back up. She turns to Michael and says, “Come on Michael let’s go.” Diane D hurries towards the doorway as Michael hurries behind her.
Inside the emergency room, Eric, a little black boy around 4-years old is laying on the table crying and screaming as Michael approaches with Diane D right beside him. Diane D‘s grandparents Margarita and Tomas and some organization members tend to Eric with a heavy crowd surrounding them.
“Are the doctors on their way?” Michael asks
Margarita who speaks with a Dominican accent says, “Yes the doctors are on their way Michael.”
Tomas who also speaks with a Dominican accent says, “They should be here any minute now.”
Margarita comforts Eric and says, “Okay Eric, it’s gonna be alright. Just hang in there, okay? The doctors are coming to get you.”
Diane D’s father Barry, her older brother Nicolas and her younger brother Mickey suddenly burst into the emergency room with two orderlies and a stretcher as Diane D’s mother Mary comes in behind them.
“Step right this way!” Barry shouts. “Clear out of the way everybody!” Everybody clears out of the way as Barry and the two orderlies head to Eric. The orderlies approach Eric and lift him up. They lay him on the stretcher and strap him in. Barry and the orderlies hurry out of the room with Eric in the stretcher as Diane D, Michael, Nicloas, Mickey, Mary, Margarita and Tomas stay behind looking on.
Inside the shelter that evening, Diane D is sitting on a stool as Michael, Margarita, Tomas, Mary, Marilyn and Tonio surround her talking. Barry, Nicolas and Mickey come in the door and approach everybody.
“How’s Eric doing?” Margarita asks.
“Oh Eric is gonna be fine Mom,” Barry says. “He didn’t suffer any life threatening injuries, but the hospital is gonna keep him there overnight so they can keep an eye on his condition.”
“Oh that’s good. Did his mother arrive there?”
“Yeah, his mother is with him now.”
“Okay good.”
It is a week later. Inside a long two story building, is the Diaz-Davidson Organization. In the hallway, around twenty-five teen and pre-teen white, Hispanic and black boys, including two 12-year old identical twin brothers Mike and Mitch are walking down the hallway with sodas and drinks in their hands being very loud and rowdy as they chit-chat and laugh. They go into a door on the side and go into a room.
The young teen boys, including Mike and Mitch enter into a large luxury room. There is another large group of twenty-five pre-teen boys and a large crowd of people in the room. Altogether there are 250 people in the room. It is the entire Diaz-Davidson Organization, which includes black, white, Hispanic and Asian teens and adults. They are all sitting down facing the front of the room where Diane D’s parents and grandparents Mary, Margarita, Barry and Tomas are as Mary and Margarita stand behind a long table with Barry and Tomas standing beside them.
Mike, Mitch and several other boys go to the front of the crowd. They turn around and sit down facing Mary, Margarita, Barry and Tomas. Mary who also speaks with a Dominican accent starts to shout to everyone, “Okay okay now listen up everybody!” The entire crowd listens to Mary as Mary shouts, “We’re gonna start the meeting in a little while!”
“That‘s right everyone,” Margarita says. “When we start the meeting, we’re gonna talk about the show we have to do tomorrow night.” Everyone shouts and cheers as Margarita says, “So in the mean time, you all can just relax!”
Mary turns and leaves the table as Barry follows behind her. She goes to the side of the room and approaches Diane D who is sitting on a stool near a large window with her elbows resting on her lap and chin resting on her hands surrounded by Michael, Nicolas, Aunt Marilyn, Uncle Tonio and Mickey. “Diane, are you and the girls ready to perform at the club tomorrow night?” Mary asks.
“Yeah we’re ready Mom,” Diane D says.
“Good, because I’m gonna pick out your costumes later on.”
“You are? Oh Mom, I hope you don’t pick those tacky costumes I told you the girls and I don’t like.”
“Yes I’m gonna pick those costumes Diane. You and the girls are gonna wear those costume tomorrow night.”
“But Mom….”
“No buts about it Diane. My mind is made up.” Mary turns away as Diane D becomes frustrated. Diane D looks at her father Barry as Barry looks back at her. Mary says to Nicolas and Mickey, “Y usted dos? Estas dos preparada para su rendimiento manana?”
“Si, estamos listos Mama,” Nicolas says.
“Buena. Ya he comprado su vestuario.”
“En serio?”
“Si, lo hice.” Mary turns to Michael and says, “I have your costume too Michael, and the band members. You’re gonna have the band ready tomorrow night, right?”
“Yeah, I’ll have the band ready Mom,” says Michael.
“Good.”
Margarita comes from around the table. She goes to the side of the room and approaches Diane D also and says, “Diane, how is that patient Mrs. Mosley doing? Did you give her some medication yet?”
“No I didn’t get a chance to Grandma,” Diane D says.
“What? Mrs. Mosley didn’t take her medication yet?”
“No. I was gonna give it to her before, but she refuses to take it. She claims she doesn’t like the taste of it.”
“Well she has to take that medication whether she likes the taste of it or not.”
“I was going to go back to her and give her the medication after I left the emergency room with you guys, but I didn’t get the chance to go back to her.”
“You didn’t go back to her?”
“No I didn’t.”
“That’s okay Diane,” Mary says. “I’ll go to the hospital to make sure Mrs. Mosley takes her medication.” Mary turns and is about to walk away.
Barry puts his arm out in front of Mary and stops her as he tells her, “No, that’s okay Mary. I’ll go give Mrs. Mosley her medication. I don’t want you trying to shove that medication down Mrs. Mosley’s throat like you did before. I’ll go.”
“I’ll go with you Dad,” Nicolas says.
“Okay Nicolas come on.” Barry and Nicolas turn and head towards the doorway.
Diane D sits frustrated on the stool with her elbows still resting on her lap and chin resting on h
er hands. Margarita looks at Diane D and says, “You still upset about the outfits Diane?”
“Yes Grandma,” Diane D says. “I am.”
“Don’t worry, it’s going to be okay.” Margarita gently squeezes Diane D’s hands. She then turns to Mary and asks, “Quieres ir a la cocina ahora antes de que comience la reunion?”
“Si supongo que asi,” Mary says. “Que hora es?” Mary and Margarita look at their watches.
“Hm!” Margarita says. “Solo las dos y media.” Margarita then looks at Mary and says, “Tenemos tiempo para pasar por la oficina muy rapido para obtener los papeles.”
“Okay,” Mary says as she and Margarita turn around and head back to the table.
Mary and Margarita stand behind the table again. They turn to everyone again as Mary claps her hands and shouts, “Okay, now listen up everybody!” The entire crowd listens to Mary as Mary shouts, “Barry and Nicolas had to step away to the hospital real quick to take care of something!”
“That’s right everyone,” Margarita shouts. “But in the mean time, Mary, Tomas and I are gonna go into the kitchen for several minutes! When we come back, we’re going to talk about the town charity function we’re going to have tomorrow afternoon! We all should be at the club tomorrow evening in time for you all to get your performances started!”
“Okay Miss Margarita,” everyone says as Margarita, Mary and Tomas turn and walk towards the doorway.
That same evening, Mary, her sister Marilyn and their brother Tonio enter the front door of a Dress And Costume Shop. They approach the counter where a clerk, a middle aged white woman is. “Good evening,” Mary says to the clerk.
“Good evening,” the clerk says. “So have you decided which costume to pick for your daughter Diane D?”
“Yes I did.”
“That’s good.” The clerk looks at Marilyn and asks, “Wow, is this your twin sister?”
“Yes she’s my sister,” Mary says, “but we’re not twins.”
“You’re not twins?”
“No we’re not. I’m a year older than she is.”
“You’re a year older? Wow you two look like twins.”
“We’re not. And this is our brother Tonio.”
“Your brother Tonio? I see. Nice to meet you both.”
“Same here,” Marilyn and Tonio say.
The clerk turns back to Mary and says, “So what costume have you decided to pick for your daughter Diane D?”
“I want the costume I was looking at the other day,” Mary says.
“Okay. You sure you want that one?”
“Yes I’m sure.”
“Okay. I’ll go get it.” The clerk turns and walks away from the front counter and goes to the back room. Mary, Marilyn and Tonio turn and walk around the shop looking around talking.
A couple of minutes later, the clerk comes back out towards the counter holding a costume. Mary turns back towards the clerk and walks to the counter. “Here it is,” the clerk says as she holds up an orange pants costume.
“That’s beautiful,” Mary says. “You have more in stock, right?”
“Yes I have plenty in the back.”
“Good, because I need seven of these.”
“Seven of these?”
“Yes, and I need them by tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow night, you got it. Would you like any quick alterations on the outfits?”
“Yes. I need the hems a little longer.”
“On all of them?”
“Yes, on all of them. Will there be enough time to do that by tomorrow night? If not, I have back-up costumes for Diane and the girls.”
“You have back-up costumes?”
“Yeah, just in case.”
“I’ll try my best to get several seamstresses to work on this right away.”
“Okay great.” Mary takes some cash out of her purse. She hands the cash to the clerk. The clerk goes to the cashier and makes the purchase. She returns to Mary and hands Mary her change. “Thank you,” Mary says.
“You’re welcome,” says the clerk.
“I’ll send my daughter and the girls to pick up the costumes tomorrow.”
“What? You’re gonna send Diane D and The Dianettes here themselves?!”
“Yes. My brother, sister and I will be doing a charity function with our parents tomorrow afternoon, so none of us will be able to make it back here in time to pick the costumes up.”
“No? Okay, no problem. I would love to meet your daughter Diane D and The Dianettes anyway.”
“You would?”
“Yes I would.”
“Well then, they’ll be here tomorrow.”
“Good!”
“Take care.”
“Okay you too!”
Mary, turns around and walks towards Marilyn and Tonio. They all turn and head towards the front door as the clerk excitingly stares at them. Mary, Marilyn and Tonio exit the front door. The clerk continues to excitingly stare at the front door. She then turns and leaves the counter with the outfit.
The next day, Diane D is in the street standing in front of a car with the car hood up, looking and bending at the engine. She leans back up away from under the car hood. She goes around the car with her arms folded and looks away from the car as she looks across a field. She then walks in front of six young gorgeous black and dark Latino women who have long waist length hair who are the Dianettes, her back-up singers and dancers as the Dianettes lean on the car looking across the field also.
Bernice, one of the Dianettes turns to Diane D and asks, “Diane, your mom doesn’t still expect us to wear those costumes she picked out for us, does she?”
Diane D turns her head around to Bernice and says, “Yeah she still does. Why do you think she’s sending us to pick them up now? She says her mind is already made up. We have to wear those outfits whether we like it or not. But look on the bright side. Being that the car conked out on us, we can’t make it to pick up those costumes anyway.”
The Dianettes smile and nod to each other.
“Don’t worry,” Diane D says as the Dianettes look back at her. “Dad is on his way to help us fix the car and bring us different outfits to wear for the show tonight. He should be here any minute now.”
“Oh that’s good,” Nancy says.
“That looks like him coming now,” says Miranda as she looks across the field.
Diane D turns her head back forward as she and the rest of the Dianettes look across the field. “That is him!” Diane D says.
The Dianettes get off the car and stand beside Diane D. They are all the same height as Diane D as they look across the field. “I hope he’s got different costumes,” Nancy says.
“I hope so too,” Lonna says. They see the van slow down at a distance.
“He didn’t see us over here,” Charlotte says.
“Well let’s go hurry and catch him,’ Diane D says. Diane D and the Dianettes start to run across the field. They happily run across the field. They see the van about to pull away.
The Dianettes call out to the van and shout, “Uncle Barry! Uncle Barry! Over here Uncle Barry!” The Dianettes hurry past Diane D as Diane D slowly backs up swaying.
The Dianettes see the van suddenly make a U-turn then slow down.
Diane D continues backing up, smiling and waving her arms in the air.
The Dianettes reach the other side of the field. They approach the van as the van stops. Barry, Michael and Nicolas come out of the van and greet the girls.
“Hey girls,” Barry says.
“Hey Uncle Barry,” Nancy says.
“Are you all alright?”
“Yeah we’re fine Uncle Barry.”
“Where’s Diane?” Nicolas asks.
“She’s right over there.”
Diane D quickly approaches them all as they turn to her.
“Are you alright Diane?” Michael asks.
“I’m fine Michael,” Diane
D says.
“Where’s the car?” Barry asks.
“Over there, across the field.”
“We thought you meant this side of the field.”
“Yeah we figured that. That’s why when we saw you, we decided to rush over to you. Well Dad, did you find us the different costumes?”
“No I didn’t Diane.”
“What!”
“We looked all around the house for your other costumes, but couldn’t find any of them.”
“You couldn’t find them?”
“No. I think your mother probably took them and stashed them somewhere.”
“Stashed them? You gotta be kidding Dad!” Diane D says as she places her hands on her hips.
“I wish I were kidding Diane. Your mother knows you all don’t want to wear the new costumes she picked out and purchased for you yesterday. I think she’s trying to make sure you girls wear those costumes. I’m sorry Diane, we looked all over the place for your other costumes and can’t find a single one of them.”
“Wow that’s great! That’s just great!”
“Don’t worry Diane,” Nicolas says. “It’s not that bad.”
“It is bad Nicolas! I don’t know why the hell Mom have to be such a hard ball!”
“Diane it’s not the end of the world. Mom made a lot of us perform in outfits we didn’t like, but it still didn’t stop the show from going on. We still made plenty of profit.”
“That’s right Diane,” Barry says. “We’re just gonna have to pick up the new costumes with you as soon as we finish fixing the car, so come on. We have to hurry and get the costumes before tonight. Let’s try to fix the car.” Barry, Nicolas and Michael lead Diane D and the Dianettes across the field to the car.
The following day, Diane D slowly comes from around a hallway corner with the Dianettes following right behind her. They are all wearing identical yellow shirts, light blue jeans and white sneakers. They have blank stares on their faces as they walk down a hallway. They reach a side door and exit out of it.
Diane D walks slowly down a street, with eyes looking serious as three of the Dianettes walk on each side of her in a diagonal line. Diane D starts to snap her fingers. The Dianettes follow and snap their fingers also. Diane D and the Dianettes start to skip slowly down the street. They start to run! Diane D and the Dianettes stop and twirl and start to run again! They start to run very fast, stopping and twirling all the way down the block! They start to perform ballet, jumping, twisting and spinning up and down! They continue their ballet performance all up and down the street! They suddenly stop and see Mary way in the distance. They quickly back-up and dance the opposite direction.
Chapter 2
It’s Showtime