by Doris Miller
It is a few weeks later. It is 9:30 in the morning. The Dianettes are at a TV Station. Three of the Dianettes, Lonna, Charlotte and Miranda sit on a low stool. They are all dressed in identical baseball shirts with black sleeves with Lonna dressed in a blue baseball shirt with black sleeves, Charlotte dressed in a yellow baseball shirt with black sleeves and Miranda dressed in a pink baseball shirt with black sleeves. The other three Dianettes, Bernice, Kelly and Nancy sit on higher stools right behind Lonna, Charlotte and Miranda. They are dressed in the identical baseball shirts with black sleeves also with Bernice dressed in a green baseball shirt with black sleeves, Kelly dressed in an orange baseball shirt with black sleeves and Nancy dressed in a red baseball shirt with black sleeves. A black male TV reporter Lester, who is around his mid forties, is on the side of them. The Dianettes look to the side at Lester as Lester says, “So Dianettes, how are you ladies doing?”
“Fine,” the Dianettes smile and say.
“Fine? That’s good. Well we have Diane D downstairs in another room while the other reporter Beatrice gets ready to talk to her and her husband Michael. But in the meantime, I’m gonna talk to you ladies. Now let’s try to get all of your names, shall we?” Lester points to Lonna and says, “And you are?”
“Lonna,” Lonna says.
Lester points to Charlotte.
“Charlotte,” Charlotte says.
“Miranda,” Miranda says.
“Bernice,” Bernice says.
“Kelly,” Kelly says.
“Nancy,” Nancy says.
“That’s nice,” Lester says. “Okay so we have, Lonna, Charlotte, Miranda, Bernice, Kelly and Nancy. Now there’re three sets of cousins between you all and Diane D. Two of you are actually Diane D’s cousins. Which two of you are Diane D’s cousins?” Charlotte and Nancy raise their hands. “It’s you two, Charlotte and Nancy, right?” Lester asks.
“Yes,” says Charlotte and Nancy.
“Diane D‘s mom Mary is both of your aunt right?”
“Yes,” says Charlotte and Nancy.
“So you two are related to each other as well?”
“Yes,” Nancy says. “Charlotte and I are cousins to each other also.”
“That’s interesting. Another two of you are cousins to each other. Bernice and Miranda, you two are first cousins, right?”
“Yes we are,” says Bernice and Miranda.
“So are Lonna and Kelly. You two are first cousins to each other also, right?”
“Yes we are,” Lonna and Kelly.
“That is very interesting. So what’s been going on with you ladies? I see you all are working hard, performing very well on stage with Diane D. You all have been performing on stage with Diane D working with her family’s organization for many years, right?”
“Yeah,” says the Dianettes.
“Wow, that’s interesting. How is it like performing in concerts on stage with Diane D?”
“Very fun,” says Miranda.
“Very exciting,” says Bernice.
“It looks fun and exciting,” Lester says. “You know we tried to get Diane D to come to one of the elementary schools in the city next Thursday. But she turned the invitation down because she says you all, herself and her family are having an engagement party for one of you. She says you all are having an engagement party for her cousin Charlotte. Charlotte raise your hand again?” Charlotte raises her hand. “Ooooh, so you’re the reason Diane D can’t make it to the elementary school next week,” Lester smiles and says.
Charlotte nervously smiles and says, “Yep I guess so.”
“I see you’re wearing an engagement ring. Let’s hold it up and see it.” Charlotte raises her hand as Miranda holds Charlotte’s wrist and helps Charlotte show the ring. “That’s a nice ring,” Lester says. “So when are you getting married?”
“In five months.”
“Five months? That’s good! You’re having a wedding?”
“Yes I am.”
“That’s good! I see you already have plenty of potential bride’s maids available for you.” Charlotte smiles and nods as the rest of The Dianettes smile and laugh. “Now Dianettes,” says Lester. “I want to say that you all dance so perfectly and so well. I’ve seen several of your charity shows before. You all dance in such good timing with each other. I understand that Diane D is the one who teaches you all your dance moves, does she?”
“Yes she does,” says Nancy.
“She does the choreography?”
“Yes.”
“That’s interesting! Does anyone else teach the dance moves or does the choreography?”
“No, nobody else teaches any dance moves or teach any choreography. Diane does all the teaching and all the choreography.”
“She does everything,” Bernice says.
“She does everything?” Lester asks. “My goodness! How long has Diane D choreographed your dance moves?“
“Since we all started dancing together,” says Miranda.
“And she choreographed all your dance moves since?”
“Yes she did.”
“My God! She seems to have train you all very well! Now Dianettes, I’m going to ask some controversial questions.” The Dianettes, puzzled, look at each other. They puzzled look back at Lester as Lester says, “Now I heard and read from a magazine somewhere that Diane D enjoys feeding her family. I hear she’s always cooking and preparing meals for her family, like her parents, her grandparents, her brothers and her husband, trying to make sure that they’re all eating right and eating the right thing. Is that true?”
“Yes it’s true,” says the Dianettes.
“And I hear Diane D also feeds you guys. I hear she always cooks and prepares meals for all you girls also, right?”
“Yes that’s true.”
“Trying to make sure you all eat right and eat the right thing too, huh?”
“Yes.”
“And I hear from sources that Diane D gets on each and every one of your cases BIG TIME, if any of you don’t eat right or eat healthy. Is that true too?”
“Yes that’s true too.”
“So none of you try to pull a fast one on her, right?”
“No we don’t.”
“No? That’s not what I heard! I heard and read somewhere, that several years ago, you all and Diane D went out to a restaurant. After you all took your seats at a table, I heard that Diane D stepped away from the table for a few minutes, and while she was gone, the waitress came to your table and took all of your orders. Which one of you is Lonna again?” Lonna nervously raises her hand. Lester then says, “So Lonna, while Diane D was gone from the table, you told the waitress that you wanted ten sugars in you iced tea. Is that true?”
“Yes that’s true,” Lonna says.
“So the waitress wrote down your order and finishes all of your orders. Diane D comes back to the table. The waitress takes her order. The waitress finishes taking Diane D’s order, after that, the waitress goes over everybody’s order again and starts to repeat the orders. When the waitress repeats your order and mentions that you want ten sugars in your iced tea, Diane D hears it. She gets into a fit and starts to fuss with you right there about the ten sugars, right?”
“Yes she did.”
“Then she hollers at the waitress and tells the waitress not to put ten sugars in your iced tea, to just put three! The waitress told Diane D okay and then walked away. Is that true too?”
“Yes it’s true.”
“So what happened after that? Did the waitress give you the ten sugars for your iced tea or did she give you just three?”
“She gave me just three.”
“Oh so the waitress took Diane D’s advice, huh?”
“Yes she did.”
“How did you feel about that?”
“I was very disappointed about it, I wanted the ten sugars.”
“I bet you did! Why did you want so much sugar in your iced tea anyway?”
“
Because if they only put two or three sugars inside the iced tea, I can barely taste the sugar so the iced tea would taste bitter. That’s why I wanted the ten sugars in my iced tea so I can make sure that I actually taste the sweetness in the ice tea.”
“I see. Did you explain that to Diane D, because I heard that she continued to fuss with you and got on your case about the ten sugars after you all left the restaurant, right?”
“Yep, she sure did.”
“So what did you do?”
“I tried to explain to Diane why I wanted the ten sugars and when I did that, she fussed at me louder. I tried again to explain to her, but she got even louder. So I walked away.”
“And when you did that, she followed right behind you and continued to fuss with you that night, right?”
“Yes she did.”
“So what did you do or say about it?”
“Nothing. It was nothing I could do or say.”
“You couldn’t get a word in there, huh?”
“No I couldn’t.”
“I see. And I also hear that Diane D doesn’t like for any of you to drink hard or bad liquor, stating it’s not good for any of your health, even though she would drink hard or bad liquor herself at times, right?”
“Yes,” says the Dianettes.
“Another thing I heard and read somewhere is that three of you Bernice, Miranda and Nancy, which three of you are Bernice, Miranda and Nancy again?” Bernice, Miranda and Nancy nervously raise their hands. Lester then says, “Okay Bernice, Miranda and Nancy. I heard a few years ago, you three were at a club somewhere. I heard that Diane D was nowhere around. You all had hard liquor in each of your hands, drinking it, right?”
“Yes,” Bernice, Miranda and Nancy nervously smile.
“Then while you three continued to drink the liquor, witnesses claim that Diane D unexpectedly comes out of nowhere, surprising and startling the three of you, snatches the drinks out of each of your hands, winds up spilling some of the liquor on your clothes and on her clothes as well then throws the champagne glasses way across the room towards some garbage pails! The champagne glasses miss the garbage pails and all that glass and liquor fall and shatter all over the floor, causing a big mess and scene! Witnesses claim that Diane D got into a fit and started fussing at the three of you right there! Is that true too?”
“Yes, it’s true,” Bernice, Miranda and Nancy and nervously say.
“Then witnesses claim that when the three of you tried to explain to Diane D about the liquor, she fussed louder. Then when you three tried again to explain to her about the liquor, she just got even louder! Is that true?”
“Yes it’s true,” Bernice, Miranda, Nancy say.
“Then what happened?”
“We all got thrown out the club,” says Nancy.
“Yeah that’s what I heard! I heard that Diane D continued to fuss with you three and got on all your cases while you all were leaving the club, right?”
“Yeah, she did,” say Bernice, Miranda and Nancy.
“Witnesses from the club claim that when you three got into the van with Diane D, she drove out of the area like a bat out of hell! How did you all feel about that?”
“Embarrassed,” Miranda and Nancy nervously say.
“I bet you were! Then I heard Diane D chewed out all three of you again the next day! What did you all do or say about it?”
“Nothing,” Bernice and Miranda nervously say.
“Nothing we could do or say,” says Nancy.
“Couldn’t get a word in there either, huh,” Lester says. Bernice, Nancy and Miranda nervously smile and nod their heads no. “So what did you all want to tell Diane D about the situation?” Lester asks.
“We wanted to tell Diane that we were only taking a few sips of the liquor, that’s all,” says Nancy.
“Taking a few sips? Taking a few sips didn’t sound like a good enough answer for her. Sounds like she didn’t want to hear that.” Bernice, Miranda and Nancy nervously smile as they look at Lester, then look at each other. Lester then says, “I could see if you all tried to explain to Diane D that it wasn’t hard liquor and that it was something else! But she knew it was hard liquor, didn’t she?”
“Yeah she did," Nancy says.
“So what happened to all that broken champagne glass and spilled liquor? Who had to clean it up?”
“The club called the janitor to clean it up.”
“They called the janitor? So who wound up paying for all that broken glass and wasted liquor?”
“The club sent the Organization a bill for it,” Bernice says.
“The club sent the Organization a bill?”
“Yeah,” Miranda says. “They wanted a reimbursement for the broken champagne glasses and wasted liquor.”
“Really? So when the Organization received the bill, how much was it?”
“Around two hundred dollars,” says Bernice.
“Around two hundred dollars?! Those must have been real expensive champagne glasses and liquor, wasn’t it?“
“Yeah it was,” Miranda says. “They also included a charge for extra work for the janitor.”
“They charged for extra work that the janitor had to do? So who wound up paying the bill, Diane D?”
“No,” Bernice says. “Her grandparents.”
“Her grandparents paid the bill for the broken champagne glasses, spilled liquor and janitor fee? Why did they pay the bill? It was Diane D who broke all those glasses and wasted the liquor! Why did her grandparents pay the bill?”
“The bill was in their organization’s name and they own the organization and Diane is part of the family and part of the organization.”
“Oh I see. Well how did they feel about paying that bill?”
“They were upset with us,” Miranda says.
“They were upset with you? Why you?”
“Because they said we shouldn’t have been taking a few sips of hard liquor in the first place.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes, but then they got over it and told us don’t worry about it.”
“They did? Oh that’s good. Another incident I heard and read somewhere is that another two of you, Charlotte and Kelly, Charlotte and Kelly raise your hands.” Charlotte and Kelly nervously raise their hands. Lester then says, “Okay, Charlotte and Kelly now, what’s the deal that happened between you two several years ago? Members of the organization said that you two were arguing over a dress each of you bought. You two bought identical dresses, but when one of the dresses got lost or misplaced, each of you claimed that the remaining dress was yours and that the other of you lost her dress. You all had a hard time trying to distinguish the dresses from each other and didn’t know which dress was whose. You two continue to argue, right?”
“Yes we did,” Charlotte says.
“Tell me what happened.”
“Well Kelly and I were pulling a tug-of-war on a purple dress.”
FLASHBACK:
Charlotte and Kelly are inside the organization meeting room pulling a tug-of-war on a purple dress as staff members surround them. Charlotte then hollers at Kelly, “No this is my dress!”
“No the other dress is yours!” snaps Kelly. “Let go!”
Diane D steps in and shouts, “Okay girls that’s enough, break it up right now!”
“But Diane this is my dress,” Charlotte shouts.
“No it isn’t Diane it’s mine," Kelly shouts. “Hers is the one that’s missing!”
“No it isn’t! Yours is the one that’s missing!”
“Okay!” Diane D shouts. “We just have to settle this and find out whose dress this really is! Hand me the dress!” Charlottes tries to hand the dress to Diane D. Kelly suddenly jerks the dress from Charlotte as Diane D angrily looks at Kelly and shouts, “How dare you jerk the dress from me Kelly!”
“I wasn’t jerking the dress from you Diane!” Kelly shouts. “I was jerking it from HER!”
“Y
ou were too jerking that dress from Diane!” Charlotte shouts. “And that’s right, how dare you jerk the dress from her!” Charlotte jerks the dress back from Kelly. Kelly jerks the dress back from Charlotte as she and Charlotte start to go at the Tug-Of-War with the dress again.
Diane D becomes frustrated. She grabs the dress and starts to shout, “Oh I see, you two still want to go at it?! You two still want to fight about this dress?!”
“That’s right!” Kelly snaps.
“Oh it’s like that?!” snaps Diane D.
“Yes it’s like that!” snaps Charlotte.
“Okay then, how about settling it like this!” Diane D holds on to the dress with her left hand as she turns towards the right and angrily grabs a large scissors off a desk. She turns the scissors towards the dress!
Charlotte and Kelly frighteningly back away as Charlotte shouts, “Diane what are you doing?!”
“Watch me!” Diane D raises the scissors high in the air and stabs the dress with it then cuts the dress!
Charlotte and Kelly become shocked as they shout, “Diane nooo!” They try to stop Diane D when suddenly Diane D throws the scissors right towards their feet stopping Charlotte and Kelly right in their tracks. Diane D suddenly rips the dress right in half! “Diane nooo!” Charlotte and Kelly scream as they see Diane D rip the dress! Diane D holds a half dress in each hand! “Oh my God Diane look what you’ve done!” Charlotte shouts as she and Kelly shockingly look at the two halves of the dress. Diane D then holds the half dresses high in the air then throws one half of the dress at Charlotte’s head and the other half of the dress at Kelly‘s head! Diane D then turns round and walks away. Charlotte, Kelly and the staff members are shocked as they look at Diane D walking away towards the doorway. Charlotte and Kelly look at each half of the dress as the staff members surround them. “My God look what she’s done,” Charlotte cries.
“It’s ruined,” Kelly cries. “We can’t wear this!”
“No you sure can’t,” Vivian, a female staff member says. “You paid a lot of money for this dress didn‘t you?”
“I sure did!”
“So did I!” cries Charlotte.
“What are we going to do now?” Kelly cries as she and Charlotte shockingly look away from the dress pieces then look at each other. They then turn their heads and look towards where Diane D went. They see do not see her anywhere. They stare at the front door shocked and devastated then look back at each other.
BACK TO THE PRESENT INSIDE TV STUDIO:
Lester asks, “So what happened afterward? I heard Diane D’s grandparents felt so bad about the remaining dress being cut in half that they bought you two a new dress each, right?”
“Yes they did,” smile Charlotte and Kelly.
“That’s good. Did they ever say anything to Diane D about ripping up and ruining that remaining dress?”
“No,” Kelly says.
“They said it’s best to just let it go,” Charlotte says.
“I see,” Lester says. “I read in a magazine article somewhere that Diane D was never a fan about make-up. I hear she doesn’t believe in wearing make-up on a regular basis and she doesn’t like for any of you girls to wear make-up on a regular basis either. So is it true that none of you wear make-up on a regular basis?”
“Yes it’s true,” the Dianettes say.
“Y’all don’t wear make-up on a regular basis at all?”
“No we don’t,” says Miranda.
“Ah come on, get out of here! All women or most women wear make-up on a regular basis!”
“We used to wear make-up on a regular basis.”
“So what happened? Why did you all stop wearing make-up on a regular basis?”
“Because Diane used to throw our make-ups away.”
“Yeah that’s what I heard! I heard several years ago, Diane D would throw away your make-ups. And whenever she threw your make-ups away, you all would sneak out and buy more make-up and hide it. Diane D would find the make-up and throw it away again. Diane D stated in an interview several years ago that she doesn’t like wearing make-up, that anyone who wants to look beautiful should not look to outside products to make themselves beautiful, that beauty should come from within, like eating the right foods, eating healthy, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, taking enough vitamins, no smoking, no hard liquor and that should be the key. I heard whenever Diane D threw your make-ups away, she would replace the make-up with vitamins or a piece of fruit and tell you all to eat the vitamins or fruit instead of putting the make-up on your faces. Is that true too?”
“Yes it’s true,” the Dianettes say.
“So what did you all do?”
“Eat the vitamins and fruit,” Bernice and Nancy say.
“Yeah that’s what I heard! Then I heard one time you all secretly bought more make-up and hid it again. Diane D found the make-up again. She got into a fit and threw the make-up in the trash again! Then I heard she looked for all of you, found you all and chewed you all out about the make-up! Then I heard she handed each of you a vitamin and piece of fruit and told you all to eat the vitamin and fruit. She stood there and made sure you all ate the vitamin and fruit! After a while, you all got tired of your make-up being tossed in the trash, that you all just gave up on make-up altogether, is that right?”
“Yes that’s right,” the Dianettes say.
“So you all haven’t worn any make-up since?”
“No we haven’t.”
“So what do you all do since you all don’t wear any make-up on your faces?”
“Eat the vitamins and fruits Diane gives us,” Bernice says.
“Wow! I bet Diane D stuffs you girls with vitamins, fruits and vegetables all the time, doesn’t she?”
“Yes she does,” the Dianettes say.
“Wow that is something! You know I should hire Diane D to be my nutritionist, that’s what I should do,” Lester says as the Dianettes laugh. Lester then says, “I mean whatever Diane D’s doing for you girls, seems to be working! Another incident I remember happening is that another two of you, Bernice and Miranda, the two cousins. Bernice and Miranda raise your hands again.” Bernice and Miranda nervously raise their hands. Lester puzzled looks at them and says, “The same thing practically happened again. A few years ago, you two were at the organization. You two were arguing over an outfit that you two purchased. You two bought identical outfits. One of the outfits got lost or misplaced, each of you claimed that the remaining outfit was yours and that the other of you lost her outfit. You all had a hard time trying to distinguish the outfits from each other and didn’t know which outfit was whose. You two continue to argue. Diane D and her family step in and try to break up the argument between you two. You all tell Diane D and her family what happened. Diane D and her family try to settle the argument by trying to find out which one of you bought the outfit first. Who ever bought the outfit first gets to keep it. Diane D’s family finds out Miranda bought the outfit first so Miranda gets to keep the outfit. Diane D’s family hands the outfit to Miranda and said they’ll get Bernice another outfit. Bernice was still bitter about the idea. Then Diane D and her family left to go get a new outfit for Bernice. When they came back from shopping, they were shocked to see you two in a fist fight! Diane D and her family rush to break up the fist fight. They hold you two back and this time security guards step in, five of them! They break up the fist fight by trying to slap hand cuffs on each of you, right?”
“Yes,” says Miranda and Bernice.
“A large crowd comes along. One of you had two security guards pulling your arms tightly around your back, trying to slap handcuffs on you. The other one had three security guards pulling her arms tightly around her back, trying to slap handcuffs on her. Diane D and her family become frustrated and tell the security guards not to slap handcuffs on you two, but the security guards were determined to slap handcuffs on you two for disorderly conduct. Diane D argues with the security
guards and tells them not to handcuff either of you. The security guards were still determined to slap handcuff on you two. They continued to pull each of your hands tightly behind your backs. You two start to cry in pain. Diane D tells the security guards that they’re being rough with you two and that they’re hurting you! The security guards yell at Diane D and tell Diane D to stay out of it! Now this story gets bizarre, because while the security guards were trying to handcuff you two, Diane D runs to them and attacks them! She gets arrested for assault, gets thrown in jail and winds up staying in jail for three whole months. How do you all feel about Diane D being thrown in jail for three months?”
The Dianettes sadly look at Lester. They look at each other, then back at Lester as Nancy says, “We don’t like to talk about it.”
“No? You don‘t like to think about it either, huh.”
The Dianettes sadly nod their heads no.
“I understand. Okay you ladies don’t have to speak about the incident. We’re gonna have to speak to Diane D’s brothers about the incident. I hear they’re very open about it.” The Dianettes stare at Lester as Lester turns to the camera and says, “Okay, let’s go to you Bob.”
Inside a second studio room, Bob, a white male reporter around his late 50’s is sitting on a chair facing the camera and says, “Okay Lester.” Bob turns from the camera and faces Nicolas, Mickey, a black male security guard around his early 40’s and a black male correction officer around his mid 40’s who are all sitting on chairs. Bob then says, “So I’m sitting here with Diane D’s two brothers, Nicolas and Mickey Diaz-Davidson and a security guard and a correction officer.” Bob says to Nicolas, “Your Nicolas, Diane D’s older brother, right?”
“Yes sir that’s correct,” Nicolas says as he nods his head.
Bob turns to Mickey and says, “And you’re Mickey, Diane D’s younger brother. You’re the youngest in the family right?”
“Yes,” Mickey says as he nods his head.
“And also here is one of the security guards, William Burke and one of the correction officers James Duncan. Okay. So Nicolas and Mickey the other reporter Lester was just interviewing the Dianettes. He was just speaking to the Dianettes about the incident that happened a few years ago when your sister Diane D brutally attacked five security guards and when the city police arrived and tried to intervene, your sister Diane D attacked them as well, right?”
“Yes that’s correct,” Nicolas says.
“So what happened the day your sister Diane D attacked five security guards and police officers, how did it start?”
“Well two of the girls Bernice and Miranda had gotten into a physical altercation and the security guards were trying to break it up.”
FLASHBACK:
Outside the organization, the security guards are pulling Bernice’s and Miranda’s arms and hands tightly around their backs very roughly! Diane D, her family, Michael, the rest of the organization and a large crowd are around! The security guards get even more rough with Bernice and Miranda. Bernice and Miranda scream and cry in pain. Diane D sees Bernice’s and Miranda’s faces crying in pain! She jerks away from the crowd and races straight to the two security guards that are holding Miranda! She jumps and body slams them to the ground! Miranda and Diane D fall to the ground with Miranda landing right on Diane D’s chest as the crowd screams in horror! Diane D’s family, Michael and the rest of the crowd rush to Diane D and Miranda! Diane D and the guards get up off the ground. Diane D’s starts to attack the guards, punching, kicking, kneeing and elbowing them! Both of the guards fall to the ground in pain! One of the three guards holding Bernice down rushes to Diane D! Diane D quickly turns around and kung fu kicks him right in the groin! The security guard holds his groin and gives out a bloodcurdling scream! He suddenly falls to the ground in pain holding his groin! Another security guard rushes to Diane D! Diane D starts to fight and attack him as well. Diane D’s family rushes to her and try to stop her! Diane D turns around and fights her family off herself! She angrily turns back around and races straight to the two remaining security guards holding Bernice! Diane D jumps and body slams the security guards to the ground as everyone screams in horror! Bernice and Diane D fall to the ground also with Bernice landing right on Diane D’s chest! Diane D’s family, Michael and the rest of the crowd rush to Diane D and Bernice! Diane D and the guards get up off the ground! Diane D brutally starts attacking the two guards, kicking and kneeing them in the groins also as the security guards yell in pain! Everyone is shocked as Bernice, Miranda and the rest of the crowd scream and watch in horror! Diane D’s family, Michael and the rest of the crowd try to stop Diane D again! Diane D turns around and fights her family off herself again! She angrily turns back around and continues to fight and kick the security guards! Bernice and Miranda approach near Diane D holding onto their painful arms as they scream and watch in horror at Diane D beating the guards! One of the security guards falls to the ground in pain! The city police arrive! They go to intervene and try to break up the fight! They go to grab Diane D. Diane D suddenly attacks the police officers, trying to kick them in the groin also!
Diane D’s family, relatives and the crowd continue to scream in horror as Diane D viciously attacks the police officers! The police try to subdue Diane D! They finally get Diane D on the ground face down, pulling her hands behind her back! Diane D jerks her entire body very roughly trying to get off the ground as the police continue to pull her hands behind her back. The police slap handcuffs on Diane D as Diane D continues to jerk her entire body very roughly, making grunting noises as she tries to get off the ground!
Several ambulances approach the scene. Everyone rushes towards the injured security guards. They are shocked and horrified to see how badly hurt the security guards are! The paramedics quickly approach the injured security guards. The crowd races back towards Diane D. The police grab Diane D off the ground and put her in the police car! The police cars race away!
At the police station Miranda is all shaken up and in a state of shock. Nicolas and some other members of Diane’s family hold Miranda and try to comfort her as a white male police officer around his late 40’s question Miranda and asks, “So this whole fight between you and Bernice started over an outfit?”
“Yes it did,” Miranda says.
In another room, Bernice is all shaken up and in a state of shock. Mary, Barry, Mickey and other members of Diane D’s family hold her and try to comfort her as another male white police officer question her and asks, “You and the other girl Miranda were fighting over an outfit. That’s how the fight started?”
“Yeah,” Bernice says.
Another white male police officer comes inside the room. He approaches Mary and Barry and tells them, “We’re getting ready to take your daughter to Central Booking.”
“What!” Mary shouts. “You’re sending her to Central Booking?”
“Yes, we have to! She assaulted five security guards and attacked us! Your daughter has several assault charges against her! The security guards are injured very badly! One of them suffers a concussion, another one has a broken nose, a busted eye and a fractured skull! Two of the other security guards might suffer from permanent injuries caused by your daughter kicking them in the groin areas real hard! We hope none of these security guards die from any of their injuries, then we would have to charge your daughter with involuntary manslaughter!”
“Involuntary manslaughter?! No, she didn’t mean to do any of that!”
“No officer!” Barry shouts. “Please don’t send our child to Central Booking please don’t!”
“We have to!” the officer says. “I’m sorry folks.” Diane D’s family yell and holler all over the place!
BACK TO THE PRESENT INSIDE TV STUDIO:
Bob turns to the security guard and says, “So William Burke, you were one of the security guards who got injured by Diane D?”
“Yes I was. I didn’t get injured as
bad as the other security guards did but we did fall on each other, that’s when I got hurt.”
“I see.” Bob turns to the Correction Officer and says, “So Officer James Duncan, you and the other correction officers had a tough time keeping Diane D in the jail cell, didn’t you?”
“We sure did,” Officer James Duncan says.
“Tell us what happened.”
“Well some of us correction officers were rolling Diane D face down on a stretcher trying to bring her to the cell.”
FLASHBACK:
Inside a Women’s Detention, five male correction officers are quickly rolling Diane D face down on a stretcher down a dark hallway, desperately trying to hold each of her limbs and head away from themselves with around four 6’ long sticks and one 10’ long stick as Diane D continues to try attacking and kicking them all in the groin!
The correction officers then roll Diane D and the stretcher to a cell door. They open the cell door and carry Diane D and the stretcher right inside the cell.
Once inside the cell, the correction officers yell at each other trying to keep Diane D in the cell as she continues to try and viciously attack them! The correction officers quickly move themselves out of Diane D’s grip! Suddenly, they push the stretcher with Diane D on it right against the wall in the back of the cell knocking Diane D and the stretcher right into the cell wall! Diane D suddenly leaps from off the stretcher right towards the correction officers and viciously tries to kung fu kick them right in the groin, but Officer Munoz quickly takes the 10’ long stick and pokes Diane D’s waist with it pushing her, knocking her right down to the floor! Diane D is about to get up off the floor, but Officer Munoz pokes and pushes Diane D’s waist with the stick again knocking her right back down to the floor! He pokes Diane D by the waist with the long stick again, pinning her body against the floor as Diane D lays face down angrily trying to knock the stick off herself! Officer Munoz shouts to the other officers, “Get the stretcher out of here!” Officer Green and Officer Rodriguez quickly reach for the stretcher and grab it as Officer Munoz tries to hold and keep an angry Diane D at bay with the long stick! Officer Green and Officer Rodriguez quickly pull the stretcher towards the cell doorway then pull the stretcher right out the cell! Officer Munoz continues to pin Diane D’s body against the floor with the stick as Diane D desperately tries to knock the stick off herself trying to get up! Diane D suddenly knocks the stick off herself and is about to get up again, but Officer Munoz quickly pokes the stick right back into her waist again and push her with it, knocking her right back down to the floor, pushing and sliding her body right to the cell wall! Officer Munoz pins Diane D’s body against the bottom of the cell wall as Diane D lays face down on the floor again angrily trying to knock the stick off herself again! Officer Kent and Officer James Duncan try to help Officer Munoz as Officer James Duncan shouts, “Come on Munoz you have to keep her in here!”
“I’m trying to!” Officer Munoz shouts back as he continues to pin Diane D’s body against the bottom of the cell wall with the stick! Diane D gets angrier and angrier as Officer Munoz continues to pin her body against the bottom of the cell wall with the long stick as she continues to lay face down trying to knock the stick off herself! Diane D suddenly knocks the stick right off herself again and quickly slides her body right towards Officer Munoz, but Officer Munoz quickly pokes Diane D’s waist again and slides her body right back against the bottom of the cell wall! Diane D desperately tries to knock the stick off herself again as Officer Munoz desperately tries to keep her body pinned against the bottom of the cell wall! As Diane D continues to try knocking the stick off herself, she suddenly takes her fist and punches down the stick, causing it to bend and drop right out of Officer Munoz’s hands to the floor! Officer Munoz, Officer Kent and Officer James Duncan quickly back away as Diane D leaps off the floor right towards them! They run right out of the cell door and quickly slam the cell door shut as Diane D bangs and slams her body right against the cell door!
Officer Munoz, Officer James Duncan and Officer Kent are out in the dark hallway out of breath as they, Officer Green and Officer Rodriguez hear Diane D’s body land hard on the floor! They puzzled look at each other. They then turn and look at the cell door in disbelief. They puzzled look back at each other as Officer James Duncan shouts, “Man she is wild!”
“She sure is,” Officer Munoz says. “She is out of control! She even bent that pole and made it drop right out of my hands!”
“Yeah I saw it! I still can’t believe it!”
“Neither can I,” Officer Kent says. The correction officers suddenly hear Diane D banging and slamming her body right against the cell door again and become startled! They quickly turn their heads around to the cell door as they hear Diane D’s body land hard on the floor! Officer James Duncan quickly takes a peek inside the glass window.
“What’s going on with her?” Officer Munoz asks.
“I don’t know,” Officer James Duncan says. “I think she’s trying to break the door down so she can break out of here.” Officer James Duncan quickly backs up. He turns to the others and says, “Wow, did y‘all feel the vibration when she banged and slammed her body against the door then land hard on the floor?”
“Yeah I felt the vibration,” Officer Green says.
“So did I,” Officer Rodriguez says. “It sounds and feels like a bull dozer is in there.”
“It sure does,” Officer James Duncan says. The officers suddenly hear Diane D banging and slamming her body against the cell door again and become startled again! They quickly look at the cell door as they hear Diane D’s body land hard on the floor again! They suddenly hear a loud pound on the cell door and become startled again. They puzzled look at each other again. They then hear Diane D trying to pull the door open from the inside. They quickly turn their heads and look back at the cell door. They see the cell door vibrating as they continue to hear Diane D desperately trying to pull the door open from the inside. They suddenly hear another pound on the cell door and become startled again! Officer James Duncan turns to the others and says, “Man, I can‘t stand to hear this banging, slamming and pounding and feeling the vibration with it!”
“Neither can I,” says Officer Kent.
“Come on, let‘s get out of here. As long as we’re standing here, we’re gonna keep hearing and feeling all this banging, slamming and pounding.” Officer James Duncan and the rest of the correction officers turn and walk away from the cell door. They suddenly hear another hard slam against the cell door and become startled again! They stop and quickly turn their heads around puzzled looking back at the cell door. They turn their heads back forward and quickly leave out of the area.
It is three hours later. Officer James Duncan, Officer Munoz, Officer Kent and Officer Green stand around the office. Officer James Duncan looks at the clock. It is 10:00PM. He looks at the other officers and says, “I think we better go check on that Diaz-Davidson girl. It’s been three hours since she’s been in there.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Officer Kent says. “Okay let’s go.” Officer Kent, Officer James and Officer Green leave the desk and head out the room as Officer Munoz stays behind.
Officer James Duncan, Officer Kent and Officer Green walk down the dark hallway. They go to Diane D’s cell door and stop. Officer James quietly goes to the tiny glass window on the cell door. He takes a peek inside the glass window into the cell. He doesn’t see Diane D. He looks his eyes around the cell. He doesn’t see Diane D anywhere. He quietly backs up to Officer Kent and Officer Green and whispers, “I don’t see her in there.”
“What?” Officer Kent says. “What do you mean you don’t see her in there? She has to be in there. Nobody let her out.”
“I don’t see her.”
“You must have not looked well. Let me take a peek.” Officer Kent quietly goes to the tiny glass window on the cell door. He takes a peek inside the glass window. He looks his ey
es around the cell. He doesn’t see Diane D either. He quietly backs up to Officer James Duncan and Officer Green and whispers, “You’re right. I don’t see her in there either.”
“No?” Officer Green asks. “Let me take a peek.” Officer Green quietly goes to the tiny glass window on the cell door. He takes a peek inside the glass window. He looks his eyes around the cell. He doesn’t see Diane D either. He then looks his eyes down in the window to the side. He quickly and quietly backs up to Officer James and Officer Kent and whispers, “I see her.”
“You see her?” Officer James whispers.
“Yeah. She’s right against the bottom of the door, way beneath the glass. I saw the top of her head.”
“You saw the top of her head?” Officer Kent whispers.
“Yeah. That’s why you two didn’t see her at first, because neither of you looked down.”
“Looked down?” Officer James says. “Why should we look down? I mean what is she doing against the bottom of the door, way beneath the glass anyway?”
“It looks like she’s hiding and listening for our footsteps.”
“Hiding and listening for our footsteps?”
“Yeah. Go take a peek. She’s down against the bottom right here,” Officer Green whispers as he points to the bottom of the cell door.
Officer James quietly goes to the tiny glass window on the door. He takes a peek inside the glass window. He looks his eyes down in the window. He quickly and quietly backs up to Officer Kent and Officer Green and whispers, “You’re right. I see the top of her head too. It looks like she was looking right up at the glass window. It does look like she’s hiding, waiting for one of us to open the door.”
“Waiting for one of us to open the door?” Officer Kent asks. “Why?”
“So we can think she disappeared somewhere and then open the door so we can look for her. Once we open the door, she can sneak up on us and attack us like she did those security guards then try to make a run for it. I think she’s hiding and waiting for the next officer that opens the door so she can kick him hard in the groin too.”
“Oh yeah? Let me take a peek.” Officer Kent goes to take a peek.
“She’s down against the side right here,” Officer James whispers as he points to the bottom of the cell door.
Officer Kent quietly goes to the tiny glass window on the door. He takes a peek inside the glass window. He looks his eyes down. He quickly and quietly backs up. He turns to Officer James and Officer Green and whispers, “You’re right. I see the top of her head too. It does look like she’s hiding, waiting for one of us to open the door. You think she knows we’re out here?”
“I don’t know, but either way, I don’t think any of us better ever open that door until she falls asleep. We don’t need to be her next victims and wind up in the hospital ourselves like those security guards.”
“Yeah you’re right,” Officer Green whispers. “Let’s get out of here.” The correction officers quietly walk away from the cell door. They take one look back at the cell door then look forward and leave the area.
BACK TO THE PRESENT INSIDE TV STUDIO:
Bob looks at Officer James Duncan and says, “So Officer James Duncan, you and the other two correction officers discovered that Diane D was hiding beneath the door waiting to strike again?”
“That’s what it looked like, “Officer James says. “That’s why we didn’t want to take any chances to open the door at that time.”
“I don’t blame you.” Bob turns to Nicolas and Mickey says, “So Nicolas and Mickey, what happened after your sister Diane D was sent to jail? I heard word got out among communities all over the place that Diane D had been arrested for beating up several security guards and attacking the city police and was sent to jail. The next day there winds up being a big protest outside the jail. There were tons of people out there. There were reporters all over the place. There were tons of Diane D admirers out there. What really happened that day?”
“Well people that know our family’s organization and seen our shows before were very upset when they heard that Diane had been arrested and was in jail,” Nicolas says. “So the next day we saw a whole bunch of people outside the jail protesting saying that they want Diane out of jail.”
FLASBACK:
A big crowd appears outside the jail. Hundreds and hundreds of people are out there. There are reporters all over the place. Tons of Diane D admirers are outside the jail. They are protesting, holding up large signs that say ‘FREE DIANE D’ ‘RELEASE DIANE D’ ‘WE LOVE YOU DIANE D’ ‘STAY STRONG DIANE D’. A lot of them are wearing T-shirts that say ‘DIANE D’.
BACK TO THE PRESENT INSIDE TV STUDIO:
Bob turns back to Officer James Duncan and says, “So Officer James Duncan, you and the other officers went back to check on Diane D again a few hours later, right?”
“Yes we did,” Officer Duncan James says.
“What happened when you went back to check on her?”
“Well Officer Kent, Officer Green and I walked down the hallway again.”
FLASHBACK:
Officer James Duncan, Officer Kent and Officer Green walk down the dark hallway again. They quietly go to Diane D’s cell door and stop. Officer James Duncan quietly goes to the tiny glass window on the cell door. He takes a peek inside. He looks his eyes around the cell. He quietly backs up and whispers to the others, “I see her in there. She’s asleep.”
“She’s sleeping?” Officer Kent asks.
“Yeah.”
Officer Kent quietly goes to the tiny glass window on the door. He takes a peek inside the glass window. He looks his eyes around the cell. He sees Diane D sound asleep on the cot facing sideways with a blanket over herself. He quietly backs up to the others and whispers to them, “Yeah I see her too. She’s asleep.”
Officer Green quietly goes to the tiny glass window on the door. He takes a peek inside the glass window. He looks his eyes around the cell. He sees Diane D sound asleep on the cot. He quietly backs up to the others and says, “I see her too. It should be safe to send a nurse in there now to check on her.”
“Yeah we gotta send a nurse in there,” Officer James Duncan says. “Come on, let’s go.” The correction officers walk away from the cell door and leave the area.
It is ten minutes later. Officer James Duncan is walking down the hallway as a stocky chubby black female nurse around her early 40’s who is wearing glasses walks behind him pulling a blood pressure machine. Officer Kent and Officer Green walk behind the nurse carrying trays of food and drinks. Officer James turns his head around to the nurse and says, “The Diaz-Davidson girl Diane D’s cell is right this way.”
“Okay,” says the nurse. Officer James Duncan, the nurse, Officer Kent and Officer Green go to Diane D’s cell door and stop.
Officer James Duncan takes a look through the tiny glass window. He looks his eyes around the cell. He sees Diane D still sound asleep on the cot, this time facing up towards the ceiling with both hands resting behind her neck with the blanket over herself. He backs up, turns to the nurse and says, “She’s still asleep. It should be okay for you to go in there now.”
“Okay.”
Officer James Duncan turns and quietly starts to unlock the cell door. He opens the cell door a little and peeks inside of it. He steps back and opens the door wider. He turns to the nurse and says, “Go in there now.”
“Okay.”
“But please be careful in there.”
“Be careful? Be careful for what? You said she’s asleep, right?”
“Yep that’s what I said.”
“Okay,” the nurse says as she pulls the blood pressure machine. She then goes into the cell with the blood pressure machine. Officer James closes the cell door behind the nurse and locks it. He looks through the tiny glass window on the door and takes a peek inside the glass window again. He backs away from the glass window and turns away as he, Offic
er Kent and Officer Green patiently wait outside the cell door.
Officer Kent looks at Officer James Duncan and asks, “You think the nurse will be safe inside there with that Diaz-Davidson girl, the way that girl fights and kicks? She‘s like a wild animal.”
“She is,” Officer James says. “Her kicks are deadly. As long as she remains asleep, the nurse should be safe in there with her, I hope.”
“Yeah I hope so too.”
Officer James turns towards the tiny glass window and takes another peek inside the glass window. He backs away from the glass window and turns around as he, Officer Kent and Officer Green patiently wait outside the cell door.
It is ten minutes later. Officer James, Officer Kent and Officer Green continue to wait patiently outside the cell door. Suddenly, there is a tap from inside the cell door. Officer James, Officer Kent and Officer Green turn and look at the glass window. Officer James looks in the glass window then opens the door. The nurse comes through the doorway pulling the blood pressure machine. She comes out the cell with the blood pressure machine as Officer James quickly shuts the cell door back and locks it. He takes a quick peek inside the glass window again. He then turns to the nurse and asks, “How is she nurse?”
“So far, she seems to be in good health,” the nurse says. “I guess you guys can send the food in there to her.”
“No that’s okay nurse,” Officer Kent says. “We’ll let you do it.” Officer Kent holds the tray of food out to the nurse as the nurse puzzled looks at him. She then puts the blood pressure machine aside. She takes the tray of food from Officer Kent and turns towards the cell door. Officer James quickly takes another peek inside the glass window. He quietly unlocks the cell door again and opens the door wide. The nurse goes back into the cell with the tray of food as Officer James quickly shuts the door behind her. He then looks through the door window again. He then opens the cell door again and lets the nurse come back out the cell. Officer Green holds the tray of drinks out to the nurse as Officer James holds the door open. The nurse takes the tray of drinks from Officer Green. She turns and goes back into the cell with the tray of drinks. The nurse comes back out the cell door as Officer James quickly shuts the cell door again and locks it. Officer James takes another peek inside the window. He then backs up. He turns to the nurse and says, “Thank you so much nurse. I don‘t know how we would have done this without you. How did it go in there while you were taking her blood pressure?”
“Well while I was taking her blood pressure, she opened her eyes a little and looked right at me,” the nurse says.
“What?” Officer Kent says. “She looked at you?”
“Yeah. She was staring at me for a while.”
“She stared at you for a while?”
“Yeah.”
“She didn‘t try to attack you or anything?”
“No. I guess when she felt someone taking her blood pressure, she opened her eyes a little to see who it was. She saw that I was a nurse and stared at me. I told her not to worry I’m just there to take her blood pressure.”
“You talked to her?” Officer Green asks.
“Yeah.”
“Did she respond?”
“No. She just continued to stare at me, then she closed her eyes again.”
“She did?” Officer James Duncan asks.
“Yeah.”
“Wow. If it was any of us correction officers in there with her, she wouldn’t have gone back to sleep. She would have tried to attack us.”
“Yeah I’ve heard about that. Well you don’t have to worry now, she fell back to sleep. I have to go now.”
“Okay nurse, thanks again.”
“You’re welcome.” The nurse pulls the blood pressure machine and walks away with it. Officer James turns and looks through the tiny glass window again and takes another peek inside the glass window. He sees Diane D asleep now face down with the blanket over herself. He backs away from the glass window and turns around as Officer Kent and Officer Green go and look through the tiny glass window and take peaks inside the glass window. Officer Kent and Officer Green back away from the glass window. They turn around towards Officer James Duncan. They and Officer James Duncan turn and walk away from the cell door leaving the area.
BACK TO THE PRESENT INSIDE TV STUDIO:
Bob says, “So Officer James, you and the other correction officers were afraid to go into Diane D’s cell, coming into contact with her after the hard time you all had putting her in the cell, right?”
“Yes, we had to wait until she fell asleep to send a nurse or food in there,” says Officer James Duncan. “We didn’t want to suffer the same injuries those security guards suffered. They were injured very badly, all of them! One of them suffered a concussion, another one had a broken nose, a busted eye and a fractured skull. Two other security guards suffer from permanent injuries to their groin areas!”
“Wow!” Bob turns to Nicolas and Mickey and says, “Nicolas and Mickey, how do you feel about what your sister Diane D has done to these men?”
“We feel terrible about it,” Nicolas says.
“Yeah,” says Mickey.
“I mean Diane D attacked the security guards, she tried to attack the crowd when they were trying to stop her, then she attacked the police officers,” Bob says. “They had a very hard time trying to subdue her! The correction officers at the jail claim they had a hard time trying to keep Diane D inside the cell when she was first put in jail. They said she tried to attack them right inside the cell! A few hours later when they went to check on her, they saw her hiding down beneath the cell door like if she was gonna put a sneak attack on them if they would have opened the cell door and walked into the cell. They were afraid that your sister was gonna attack them like she did those security guards. It was like your sister Diane D became out of control that day! Thank God none of those incidents were fatal! It could have been fatal from the injuries those security guards sustained, but thank God there were no deaths from any of that.”
“I thank God everyday that no deaths occurred from that incident,” Nicolas says.
“But why did your sister Diane D attack the city police?”
“We don’t know why she attacked the city police, we don’t know.”
“We don’t even think she realized she attacked the police,” says Mickey.
“You don’t think she realized she attacked the police?” Bob says. “I don’t understand.”
“When we asked Diane why she attacked the police, she says she doesn’t remember doing that,” Nicolas says.
“She doesn’t remember doing that?”
“That’s what she said. We even asked Diane why she attacked the security guards in the first place. She claims not to remember doing that either.”
“She claims not to remember attacking the security guards? Does your sister Diane D remember trying to attack the correction officers while they were trying to put and keep her inside that jail cell?”
“We asked Diane about that too. We asked her why did she try to attack the correction officers when they were trying to put her in the jail cell and keep her in there. She claims she doesn’t remember trying to attack any correction officers at all in the jail cell and accuse them of lying about it.”
“What?” Officer James Duncan says. “She claims we’re lying about it?”
“Yeah.”
“Why would she think we’re lying about it?”
“So y’all can get publicity.”
“So we can get publicity?”
“Yeah.”
“So your sister thinks us correction officers are making this entire story up as a publicity stunt?”
“That’s what she thinks.”
“Believe me my friend, we’re not lying about your sister trying to attack us! We’re not lying about it at all! We’re not gaining any publicity or anything else by making this story up! Your sister really tried to attack all of us correcti
on officers inside that jail cell when we were trying to put her in there and keep her in there, but your sister was so mad, so angry and so strong that she appeared to have superhuman strength! Even though it was five men against your sister, she was still strong! She was like the Incredible Hulk! I mean she had the strength of a wild animal! We had to keep her back with a ten foot pole and then she wound up punching the ten foot pole causing it to bend then drop right out of one of the other officers’ hands then she leaped right off the floor at us! We had to hurry and run out of that cell and lock it very quickly because we thought we were dealing with the spirit of a wild beast that took human form! After we locked the cell door, your sister threw, banged and slammed her body right against that cell door so hard we all felt the vibration! It was like she was possessed! It felt like some demon or evil entity had taken over her body! It was sort of frightening!”
“It sounds frightening,” Bob says.
“We asked Diane about that too,” Nicolas says. “She says she doesn‘t remember punching any ten foot pole or throwing, banging or slamming her body against the cell door either.”
“She doesn’t?”
“No. She said the only thing she remembers was waking up the next day on the cot feeling pain all over her body.”
“She woke up the next day feeling pain all over her body?”
“That’s what she said.”
“Did she tell the nurse that she was in pain when the nurse came in the cell to take her blood pressure?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“She said she never saw a nurse in the cell that day.”
“What?” Officer James Duncan says. “She said she never saw a nurse in the cell that day?”
“That’s what she said.”
“Well she’s lying because the nurse who went in the cell that first day to take your sister’s blood pressure said your sister had opened her eyes a little and was looking right at her! The nurse said your sister stared at her for a while!”
“Well sometimes it is hard for a person to remember something when they’re just waking up. Diane is not denying a nurse being in the cell, she says she just doesn’t remember seeing a nurse in the cell that first day. Another thing Diane says she remembers is waking up seeing a bent ten foot pole on the cell floor and didn’t know or understand why it was there. She said if she hadn’t heard about what happened between herself and the correctional officers, she wouldn’t have known about it.”
“What?” Bob says. “You mean to tell me that Diane D only knows about what happened between herself and the correctional officers is because she heard about it?”
“That’s right.”
“And who did she hear it from?”
“She heard it from us, her family.”
“Wow, your sister doesn’t seem to remember anything about her violent behavior and violent outbursts, does she?”
“No she doesn’t. We asked her why did she go off on the authorities and not remember it, she said she doesn’t know, maybe she just lost it that day.”
“Yeah I’m sure everybody who was there saw your sister lose it that day. So what happened with your family’s organization while Diane D was in jail? Did you all continue to do charity events?”
“No we didn’t have time, everything was put on hold. We couldn’t perform any shows and we couldn’t do any benefit concerts. Our organization lost a lot of money because of it. We couldn’t make money for charity, because at that time we had our own problems to deal with. Diane was locked up. We had to pay a lot of money in legal fees. The security guards’ families threatened a lawsuit against the organization.”
FLASHBACK:
Two of the security guards’ wives, two black females and the rest of their families are very upset. One of the wives shout at Mary and the rest of Diane D‘s family, “We’re going to sue the pants off your organization!”
Mary looks at the woman. She then turns to her family and shouts, “Usted sabe que esto es ridiculo! Voy a suspender Bernice y Miranda de la organization durante dos meses!”
“Whatever you just said Miss," the security guard’s wife shouts as Mary turns back to her, “we’re still going to sue your family’s organization!”
Mary points her finger at the woman and shouts, “Really! You go right ahead! After that, we’re going to have Bernice and Miranda countersue the security guards and claim the security guards were very rough in handling Bernice and Miranda, twisting their arms out of joint, causing pain, damage and anguish!”
“What!” the security guard’s wife shouts. “You can’t mean that!”
“Oh I definitely mean that!” Mary shouts as she angrily folds her arms!
The security guards and their families look at each other. One of the family members, a teenage boy says to one of the guard, “Dad you can’t afford to be countersued. I think you should drop the lawsuit.” The security guard and his family stare at each other. They then turn to look at Mary and the rest of Diane D’s family.
BACK TO THE PRESENT INSIDE TV STUDIO:
Bob says to Nicolas, “So the security guard’s families decided to drop the lawsuit against your family’s organization, huh?”
“Yes they did,” Nicolas says. “Our organization was still losing money so we had to get back on the ball and start doing charity events again to raise money.”
“So everyone in the community and everyone who came to your family’s charity events knew what was happening. They knew that Diane D was still in jail.”
“Yes they did. They were very supportive of us.”
“Oh yeah? That’s good. So what was happening with The Dianettes while Diane D was in jail?”
“They missed Diane terribly.”
“Even though she fusses with them at times, they still missed her?”
“Yeah, they sure did. They gave her a welcome home party when she came home from jail.”
FLASHBACK:
Diane D’s family and relatives, The Dianettes and a whole crowd of people are on the sidewalk outside the court building screaming and cheering as they gather around a car. Diane D comes out of the car. The entire crowd screams and cheers! A couple of lawyers lead Diane D towards the front steps of the court building. Diane D walks up a few steps and turns around facing the crowd as the crowd scream and cheer. Diane D smiles at the crowd. The crowd then sings, “Well She’s A Jolly Good Fellow, Well She’s A Jolly Good Fellow!” Diane D smiles to everybody.
After a while, the Dianettes lead Diane D away towards a motorcycle. Diane D sits on the motorcycle. Bernice and Miranda stand beside Diane D hugging each other tightly, holding their faces together, smiling at Diane D, showing Diane D that they’re the best of friends now as Diane D smiles up at them. Diane D looks back towards her family and Michael. Her family and Michael happily look on.
BACK TO THE PRESENT INSIDE TV STUDIO:
Bob asks Nicolas and Mickey, “And that whole entire incident happened, all because Bernice and Miranda got into a physical fight, which caused Diane D to beat up and attack the security guards who were rough handling Miranda and Bernice then she ends up in jail for it?”
“That’s correct,” says Nicolas.
“Did your family’s organization ever made back up the money you all lost?”
“Yes, we made back up all the money our organization lost and made more money.”
“Oh really? How?”
“We put on more shows and sold out tickets.”
“You put on more shows and sold out tickets? That’s good. I’m glad for you all. So how is everything now with Diane D? Does she still get into this violent vicious rage? You know when this whole entire incident happened with Diane D, she had gotten sort of a reputation after that. A lot of people were sort of afraid to come near her, especially men. When she was in jail, correction officers didn’t want to go near her. When she came out of jail, men in the streets were kind of afraid to go near her
for a while, is that true?”
“Yes it’s true.”
“So how is everything now? Men aren’t afraid to come near Diane D now are they?”
“No, as long as Diane keeps her cool, men don‘t have anything to worry about.”
“I sure hope your sister keeps her cool. Who taught Diane D how to fight like that in the first place?”
“She was taught martial arts by the people in the Far East.”
“What? Diane D was taught martial arts by the people in the Far East?”
“Yeah.”
“How was that?”
“Our family use to travel to the Far East when we were small. We got very interested in watching martial arts over there and wanted to learn it, so we were taught it by the people there.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, but after a while, it became too much for me and Mickey to handle. Mickey and I couldn‘t keep up with it, but Diane kept up with it.”
“She did?”
“Oh yeah,” Mickey says. “She kept up with the martial arts so much that she became very strong at it.”
“She became strong at it? Wow.”
“She also used to study martial arts with a female cousin of ours named Dana, who’s from Jamaica,” Nicolas says.
“A female cousin named Dana who’s from Jamaica, the West Indies?”
“Yeah. Dana is our father’s niece. She fights like Diane and they always hang together.”
“They do?”
“Yeah. They’ve been close cousins since they were toddlers.”
“Really? How close are they in age?”
“Dana is one year older than Diane.”
“She is? And you say this cousin Dana fights just like Diane D?”
“Yes she does. Dana and Diane were both sort of tomboys when they were growing up.”
“They were?”
“Yeah. Dana has two older brothers and she and Diane used to play fight with them and us all the time growing up.”
“Oh yeah? I see. Diane D seems to look out for The Dianettes and their well being a lot, doesn’t she?”
“Yeah she does look out for them and their well being a lot,” Mickey says.
“Yeah,” says Nicolas. “That’s why she would fuss with them if she catches them doing anything that’s not good for them or their health. She really loves and cares about the girls. She treats all of them like they’re her daughters.”
“Ah that’s nice. I hear she cooks and prepares meals for The Dianettes as well as she does that for your family and her husband, huh?”
“Yes she does.”
“Does she do all of that for The Dianettes, her husband and your family all the time?”
“No, not all the time. Sometimes.”
“Why?”
“That’s just the way she is,” says Mickey. “She wants to make sure we’re all eating right.”
“Nobody makes her do that do they?”
“No.”
“Absolutely not,” says Nicolas. “Look, nobody can make Diane do anything she doesn’t want to do, except for my mom. But my mom is not making Diane do any of that. Diane is strictly cooking and preparing meals for everybody because she wants to!”
“That’s just the way she is,” Mickey says.
“Wow,” Bob says. “Your family is very lucky. I wish I had someone insist on cooking for me and preparing my meals because I don’t like to cook. Well which meals does Diane D prepare for everybody?”
“Breakfast, dinner and snacks,” Nicolas says.
“Snacks? What kind of snacks?”
“Usually salads, fruits and nuts. All types of healthy stuff.”
“I see. Does Diane D cook for The Diaz-Davidson Choir or The Diaz-Davidson Band, The Diaz-Davidson Youth Show as well?”
“No, just for family. The staff members would cook for all the Youth Show Performers and Athletes. When they do that, Diane would go around all the tables and make sure that each and every kid ate everything off their plate, especially their vegetables.”
“She would?”
“Oh yeah, she would,” Mickey says.
“I see. That must be a lot of food the staff members have to cook if they’re making all these meals.”
“It is.”
“Who buys all that food anyway?”
“It comes from donations,” Nicolas says.
“I see,” Bob says. “So what does Diane D do on her spare time when she’s not performing?”
“She rides motorcycles on her spare time.”
“She rides motorcycles? With who, the Dianettes?”
“No, not with them. They’re afraid of motorcycles.”
“No, they won’t get on a motorcycle,” Mickey says.
“Diane rides motorcycles with Dana.”
“She rides motorcycles with Dana?” Bob asks.
“Yeah. Sometimes they have Teresa and Judy ride on the back of the motorcycles.”
“Teresa and Judy? Who are they?”
“Judy is Dana's Jamaican cousin. She's Dana's mother's niece and Teresa is a friend of both Diane and Dana.”
“Oh really? Where’s this cousin Dana at now?”
“Back in Jamaica with her family.”
“What about the other two girls, Judy and Teresa?”
“Judy is back in Jamaica also but Teresa is still around.”
“She is? I see. By the way Nicolas, you’re dating Miranda, aren’t you?”
“Yes I am.”
“You two have been dating a long time, since High School?”
“Yes we have. We’ve known each other for some time because she’s been dancing and singing with Diane and has been part of our family’s organization for a while. After a while, we started dating.”
“I see. You two also have a child together. A son right?”
“Yes we do.”
“How old is he now?”
“He’s three years old.”
“He three? Who watches him while your family’s organization is on the road?”
“Sometimes he comes on the road with us and my whole family would watch him. When he’s not on the road with us, Miranda’s family would watch him.”
“I see. I hear you and Miranda are planning to marry sometime in the future.”
“Yes, we plan to marry next year.”
“That’s good. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. How about you Mickey, are you dating right now?”
“I was dating, but not anymore,” says Mickey. “I’m gonna stay cool for now.”
“Oh yeah? You don’t have any children yet, do you?”
“No. No children.”
“I see. Okay guys we’re gonna get ready to talk with your sister Diane D and her husband Michael. I want to thank you two so much for being here and being very open about this topic.”
“You’re welcome,” Nicolas and Mickey.
“And thanks to you too Officer James Duncan and security guard William Burke.”
“You’re welcome,” James Duncan and William Burke say.
Bob turns to the camera and says, “Okay we’re going to get ready to speak with Diane D herself, and her husband Michael. Let’s get to you now Beatrice.”
Inside a third studio room, Beatrice, a white middle aged female reporter with light brown hair is sitting on a chair facing the camera and says, “Okay Bob.” Beatrice turns from the camera and faces Diane D and Michael who are both sitting in chairs next to each other. She then says, “So I’m sitting here with Diane D and her husband Michael.” Beatrice looks at Diane D and says, “So Diane D, I see that your family’s Charity and Entertainment Organization has performed hundreds of charity events throughout their existence, right?”
“Yes that’s correct,” Diane D says.
“And your husband Michael works with your family’s Charity and Entertainment Organization also, right?”
“Yes he
does.”
“That’s good. First of all, where are you and your family from? I notice that your mom and both of your grandparents who are your mom’s parents speak Spanish. Where are you and your family from?”
“We’re from the Dominican Republic.”
“You and your family are from the Dominican Republic?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow that’s nice Diane D! I like the Dominican Republic!”
“You do?”
“Of course I do! I travel to the Dominican Republic all the time!”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah! A lot of my colleagues travel to the Dominican Republic every year.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. They’ve been traveling down to the Dominican Republic for the past ten years.”
“Wow, that’s nice.”
“They love the D R. Do you travel back to the Dominican Republic with your family?”
“Yeah all the time. We travel back and forth to the Dominican Republic around twice a year.”
“Twice a year?”
“Yeah. We usually stay for a month or two whenever we go down there.”
“For a month or two? Where do you all stay, at a hotel?”
“No we don‘t stay at any hotel.”
“You don’t?”
“No, we still have a house down there.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. We stay in our own house.”
“Oh I see.” Beatrice looks at Michael and asks, “Michael do you travel to the Dominican Republic with your wife Diane D and her family?”
“I sure do,” Michael says.
“That’s wonderful.” Beatrice looks back at Diane D and says, “So now tell me Diane D, how did the name Diaz-Davidson came about?”
“Well Diaz is my grandmother’s maiden name,” Diane D says.
“It is?”
“Yeah. When my grandmother was a little girl growing up, her name was Margarita Diaz.”
“Margarita Diaz?”
“Right. And my grandfather’s name is Tomas Davidson. His great grandfather is from England.”
“His great grandfather is from England?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s nice. How did your grandmother and your grandfather started the Diaz-Davidson Organization?”
“Well the Diaz-Davidson Organization was actually started by my great-grandparents.”
“Your great-grandparents?”
“Yeah both sets of great-grandparents.”
“Both sets of great-grandparents? How’s that?”
“My grandmother’s parents were part of a church and charity organization in the Dominican Republic when my grandmother was a little girl. Their church and charity worked and performed to raise money for charity. My grandfather’s parents were part of a different church and charity organization in the Dominican Republic when my grandfather was a little boy. Their church and charity worked and performed to raise money for charity also. When my grandmother and grandfather became teenagers, both of their family’s met each other and joined together and created the charity and entertainment organization. When my grandmother and grandfather were still teenagers, they fell in love, got married and started their own charity organization. They combined both of their last names to the organization, that’s how the Diaz-Davidson Organization name came to be. Later on, my grandmother and grandfather had three children. The three children includes my mom, her brother Tonio and her sister Marilyn. My grandparents continued the organization with their children in the Dominican Republic.”
“In the Dominican Republic? I see. How did your dad came into the picture? How did he and your mom meet each other?”
“My dad’s family visited the Dominican Republic from St. Thomas when my dad and his brothers were teenagers.”
“Your dad’s family is from St. Thomas?”
“Yeah. While my dad’s family was in the Dominican Republic, they visited a local church there. While they were visiting the local church, my dad met my mom and her family there. My dad and my mom soon fell in love. A year later, they got married in the Dominican Republic. Then my dad joined my mom’s family’s organization. Soon my mom and my dad had us three children, me and my two brothers, Nicolas and Mickey. When my brothers and I got older, we became part of the organization too.”
“So it’s like generation after generation born and came into the family organization that was started from the great-grandparents to the great-grandchildren.”
“That’s correct.”
“I see. Now Diane D, I understand you have a close cousin named Dana who is from Jamaica. She and her siblings practically grew up with you and your siblings. How do you have Jamaican cousins if your family is Dominican?”
“My Jamaican cousins are my dad‘s brother‘s children.”
“Your dad‘s brother?”
“Yeah, my uncle David. You see the same thing that happened with my dad happened with one of his brothers, his brother David. My dad’s family also visited Jamaica when my dad and his brothers were teenagers.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah. While my dad’s family was in Jamaica, they visited a local church there too. While they were visiting the local church, my dad’s brother David met a young Jamaican girl and her family there. The young Jamaican girl’s name was Christine. My Uncle David and Christine fell in love. A year later, they got married in Jamaica. Soon my uncle David and Christine had several children born and raised in Jamaica. One of their children is Dana, so that‘s how we wind up with Jamaican cousins because Dana and her siblings are my Uncle David’s children.”
“I see. Wow Diane D! It seems like that was a way of life for your dad and his brothers back then, go to different Caribbean countries, visit the local churches of those Caribbean countries and meet future wives there, then have children born and raised in those Caribbean countries, huh?”
“I guess so. I think you got it down packed.”
“Yeah I think I do. So practically all of your family and relatives are from the Caribbean area.”
“Yes you can say that.”
“Where did you and your siblings grew up with your cousin Dana and her siblings, in the Dominican Republic or in Jamaica?”
“Both, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and in St. Thomas.”
“The Dominican Republic, Jamaica and in St. Thomas?”
“Yeah. My dad and his brothers are very close, not even countries could separate my dad from his brothers. At times, my dad would take my mom and us to Jamaica to visit my uncle David’s family and we would stay with them. Other times, my uncle David would bring his wife and children to the Dominican Republic and stay with us. Other times, we would all go and stay in St. Thomas where my dad and my Uncle David’s family is originally from. When we moved to this country, we still traveled back and forth between Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, St. Thomas and New York to visit each other all the time.”
“That’s interesting! Diane D how old were you when you first came to this country?”
“I was around six years old when my family and I first moved to this country.”
“You were six?”
“Yeah.”
“And your family moved the organization to this country with them?”
“Yes.”
“What part of the country did your family move the Organization to?”
“They moved the organization here to New York.”
“To New York? I see. Did you and your family speak any English when you all first came to this country?”
“No we didn’t really speak any English when we first came here. When we first came to this country, my family took English classes to learn English. My brothers and I learned English from school as we got older.”
“I see. Do you and your brothers still speak Spanish now?”
“Yes we do. We grew up speaking both Spanish and English.”
“You did? T
hat’s interesting. What about your dad? Does he speak any Spanish at all?”
“No my dad doesn’t speak any Spanish. He just knows a little Spanish that he picked up from my mom and her family.”
“So he’s not Hispanic?”
“No my dad’s family is not Hispanic at all.”
“They‘re not? What is their ethnic background?”
“Well my dad’s mom is Indian-Caribbean and my dad’s father is half black and half white.”
“So your dad is black, white and Indian?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow Diane D. So you’re Dominican whose father is from St. Thomas and you have Jamaican cousins. You seem to have the best of all worlds Caribbean, don’t you?”
“I guess so.”
“That’s nice.” Beatrice looks back at Michael and asks, “Now Michael, how did you get into the act with Diane D‘s family‘s charity and entertainment organization?”
“Well, I met Diane in High School,” Michael says. “We were high school sweethearts. I was part of the school band and she was head of the cheerleading squad.”
“You were a head cheerleader Diane D?”
“Oh yeeaaah,” Diane D says.”
“Wow you’re multi-talented.”
“She sure is,” Michael says. “Years later, Diane and I got married, then I joined her family’s charity and entertainment organization and started doing band performances. I’ve been doing band performances with her family’s organization ever since.”
“Wow that‘s interesting. So Diane D, you said your family first performed the church and charity organization back in the Dominican Republic. How did your family wind up taking the charity and entertainment organization to other parts of this country and the world?”
“Well my grandparents were able to raise enough money to spread the charity events through-out the Dominican Republic. Then they spread the organization overseas.”
“How does your family raise so much money for charity? Tell the people that don’t know your organization what you all do.”
“Well we have charity functions, we do lots of shows and performances, we have all kinds of performances. People pay to see the shows. We raise enough money to buy food and clothes for the needy. We send money and donations to poor countries around the world. We have programs for children, adults and seniors.”
“Children, adults and seniors? That’s good. What else do you do with the raised money?”
“We donate money for research like cancer and other diseases.”
“Wow. That’s good what you and your family’s organization do for people. Can I ask you, does your family’s organization keep any of the raised money for yourselves.”
“Well we got to keep some things for ourselves. We gotta live, eat and pay the bills too.”
“Yeah that’s true. Since you and the Dianettes sing and dance so well, people who’ve seen a lot of your shows gave you and the Dianettes sort of nicknames. Some people nicknamed you all the Super Seven. Some people have nicknamed you ‘The Dynamic Diane D and The Dynamic Dianettes’. Have you, your brothers, your husband's band, The Diaz-Davidson Youth Performers and Athletes and The Diaz-Davidson Choir ever thought of making a professional career out of singing and dancing, making a record deal or playing sports or something like that?”
“Well performing for charity is our professional careers. It’s something we’ve been doing all our lives. We do shows, we do concerts, we make, produce and sell our own CDs. We sell the CDs ourselves at our charity events and concerts. People by the CDs all the time at our events. The CDs always get sold out. People wind up having to make orders for more CDs.”
“Make orders for more CDs? That‘s interesting. Now tell me Diane D. How did you and The Dianettes meet? How did you all come together in the first place?”
“Well two of The Dianettes, Nancy and Charlotte, are actually my cousins.”
“They’re your cousins?”
“Yeah, they’re both my mom's nieces. Nancy is my Uncle Tonio’s daughter and Charlotte is my Aunt Marilyn’s daughter.”
“They are?”
“Yeah. When I first started performing for charity with my family, I was singing and dancing on stage by myself.”
“You were singing and dancing on stage by yourself? How old were you when you started singing and dancing on stage by yourself?”
“I was around five years old.”
“You were five? So that was back in the Dominican Republic?”
“Yeah.”
“So this is something you always had in you. How long were you singing and dancing on stage by yourself before the Dianettes came into the picture?”
“For around three or four years.”
“For around three or four years? You were singing and dancing on stage by yourself for around three or four years?”
“Yeah.”
“My goodness, that’s a long time to be singing and dancing on stage by yourself at such a young age! How did the Dianettes get into the act with you?”
“After I performed on stage, Nancy and Charlotte would come out on stage later and perform a dance routine with other children. When we all came home to our grandparents house, I used to practice and rehearse by myself down in the basement. Charlotte and Nancy would come halfway down the basement steps. They would see me practicing, then they would sit on the basement steps and watch me. Then they wanted to sing and dance with me. My friend Lonna lived and grew up in my neighborhood. We were friends. Lonna, her cousin Kelly and I all went to school together. Lonna and Kelly would see me perform on stage also. Then they wanted to sing and dance with me too. I started to go to dance school. I met Bernice and Miranda there who are cousins. When Bernice and Miranda’s family came to see my family’s shows, Bernice and Miranda would see me perform on stage. Then they wanted to sing and dance with me too. So by the time I was eleven or twelve years old, all six of the girls got into the act and sang and danced on stage with me. We've been performing on stage with each other ever since.”
“Wow that is marvelous Diane D! So did any more girls wanted to join the group?”
“Yeah more girls wanted to join the group, but my parents and grandparents said ‘no, no more girls can join the group, there’s already enough girls in the group’.”
“It is enough girls in the group, seven altogether. So since Charlotte and Nancy are your first cousins and your mom's nieces, your grandparents Margarita and Tomas Diaz-Davidson are their grandparents too, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Were Nancy and Charlotte born in the Dominican Republic also?”
“Yes they were.”
“Do they speak Spanish as well?”
“Yes they do.”
“I see. So Diane D, when The Dianettes started performing with you, it’s obvious that their wonderful name ‘The Dianettes’ came from your name, Diane. Who thought of naming them after you?”
“Oh my parents and grandparents thought of that. They gave the girls that name.”
“Your parents and grandparents gave them the name ‘The Dianettes’?”
“Yeah.”
“How did your parents and grandparents decided with that name?”
“Well when the girls first started performing with me, my parents and grandparents said the girls needed a group name for themselves and decided to give them one. My parents and grandparents thought the girls’ group name should be named after me, so they came up with the name ‘The Dianettes‘. So the name ‘The Dianettes’ stayed with them ever since.”
“Wow that‘s interesting. So Diane D your actual last name is Brown not Diaz-Davidson, right?”
“Right. Diaz-Davidson comes from my mom‘s side of the family, Brown comes from my dad’s side of the family. Brown is my dad’s last name.”
“I see. What does the initial D stands for in Diane D?”
“Well the D stands for Diaz-Davidson the name
of the organization. We all use the Diaz-Davidson name as our stage name, that's why my brothers' stage name is called Nicolas and Mickey Diaz-Davidson, even though our real last name is Brown. My stage name was Diane Diaz-Davidson when I first started by myself. Then when I was ten years old, my family decided to drop the Diaz-Davidson out of my stage name and just use the initial D for short. So my stage name went from Diane Diaz-Davidson to Diane D.”
“That’s interesting! So what is your full legal maiden name?”
“Diane Denise Brown.”
“Diane Denise Brown? Denise is your middle name?”
“Yes it is.”
“Wow. So your full legal maiden name can also be Diane D Brown.”
“Yeah.”
“Wow that‘s interesting. Now Diane D, your family’s entire Diaz-Davidson Organization have performed for charity for many years in different cities around the United States. Thousands and thousands of people got to see you all perform and got to know who you all are. Everywhere you go, people sort of treat you all like celebrities. They want your autograph, they want to take pictures with you, they try to meet you backstage, they’ve written to your family’s organization and approach you, asking you for advice and want to know if your family’s organization could appear in their town, their schools, their shows, their Community Centers and so on. But I’ve read in a newspaper article that you all don’t see yourselves as celebrities. Why not?”
“We’re not doing this for any celebrity status. We’re mainly performing shows and activities in the name of charity because it is a family business for us.”
“A family business, that’s good. But I’ve heard that whenever you appear in different cities, hundreds of excited people, children and adults have approached your family or written to your family’s organization, requesting to be part of your family’s organization. I hear they want to audition for your family. I hear that several young ladies want to sing and dance with you. I’ve heard that they want to be additional members of the Dianettes, but your parents and grandparents already said ‘no more girls can join the group‘. How would you feel about adding additional back-up dancers?”
“Well we sometimes have additional back-up dancers, but they’re usually male back-up dancers, not female back-up dancers.”
“Well what do you tell these young ladies who want to be additional members of the Dianettes?”
“Well my parents and grandparents would tell these young ladies ‘if they’re that focused on singing and dancing and are successful at it, they can always perform their own group and to keep that goal alive and never give it up‘.”
“Your parents and grandparents would tell them that?”
“Yep, they sure would.”
“Do the young ladies take your parents and grandparents’ advice?”
“Well they seem to be disappointed at first when they’re told they can always perform their own group. I’m not really sure if they do take my parents and grandparents’ advice?”
“I see. I also hear that your family’s organization own a few Dominican hair salons, is that true?”
“Yes my family owns three Dominican hair salons around New York.”
“Three Dominican hair salons? Wow that’s interesting. Do you work on the customers’ hair?”
“Sometimes I work on their hair if we’re short of help. My mom, my aunt and my grandma sometimes work on the customers’ hair too, but most of the time we have hairdressers that my family hire to work on the customers‘ hair.”
“I see. I hear your grandmother Margarita is also a former Beauty Queen. I heard that she was a Beauty Queen back in the Dominican Republic when she was young, is that true?”
“Yes she is a former Beauty Queen, so is my mom.”
“Your mom Mary was a Beauty Queen also?”
“Yeah when she was younger.”
“That’s interesting Diane D! Were you ever a Beauty Queen?”
“No, I never got into that stuff.”
“You didn‘t?”
“No.”
“Well you should have gotten into that stuff Diane D because you’re very beautiful just like your mom and your grandma and I’m sure you would have won just like they did. I see that Dominican beauty runs in your family.”
“Thanks.”
“Now you might not have gotten into being a Beauty Queen Diane D, but you have gotten into the martial arts. I hear you were more interested in that. I hear that you have background skills in the martial arts, is that true?”
“Yes it’s true.”
“My goodness! How did you learn martial arts?”
“Well when I was a kid, my brothers and I used to watch Martial Arts films on TV a lot. We became very interested in it and used to play fight with one another. Then we decided that‘s what we want to actually learn and do. When my family’s organization traveled to the Far East, my brothers and I were taught martial arts by the people over there.”
“You and your brothers were actually taught martial arts by the people in the Far East?”
“Yeah, we learned from the masters of it.”
“You did?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow that is interesting! Just you and your brothers learned martial arts over there?”
“Yeah just us three, but my brothers couldn’t keep up with it. They didn’t have the will power to go on with it. It was getting too stressful for them so they quit. I’m the only one who had the will power to go on and stayed with it.”
“You did?”
“Yeah.”
“And you keep up with it to this day?”
“Yes I do.”
“So you’re a professional gymnast who has background skills in the martial arts, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Wow, you are so athletic Diane D, and it shows in your physique too! You have very nice muscle tone!”
“Thanks.”
“I hear you’re a personal trainer also, is that true.”
“Yes it’s true. I do personal training at a Health And Fitness Center here in New York.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, that is interesting! I also hear that you choreograph you and the Dianettes’ dance moves, is that true?“
“Yes it’s true.“
“So you’re a choreographer?“
“Yes I am.“
“That’s interesting Diane D! I also hear, that you’re a good swimmer! I hear you can swim in very deep water, is that true?”
“Yes that‘s true.”
“Wow. Where have you swam in deep water, inside a swimming pool?”
“Yes in a swimming pool and in the ocean?”
“In the swimming pool and the ocean?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow! First let me ask, what’s the deepest feet of water you swim in when you swim inside a swimming pool?”
“I swim in twelve feet of water or deeper.”
“Twelve feet of water or deeper?!”
“Yeah.”
“Do you dive off the diving board or do you just swim in twelve feet of water?”
“I do both. I dive off the diving board and I swim in it.”
“That is amazing! I’m afraid of deep water, I don’t go in it! And where have you swam in the ocean at?”
“Back home in the Dominican Republic or whenever my family goes to Jamaica or St. Thomas. We would rent boats, go out in the ocean then my brothers, my cousin Dana, her brothers and I would dive right into the ocean.”
“You, your brothers, your cousin Dana and her brothers would dive into the ocean?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow that is interesting Diane D! Aren’t you all afraid of sharks when you dive into the ocean?”
“We don’t go in shark infested waters, we do have common sense.”
“I’m sure you have. What about the Dianettes? Do they dive in deep water?”
“No,
they’re afraid to dive into the ocean.”
“They don’t dive into the ocean at all?”
“No. The only time they would go into the water is at the beach, that’s about it.”
“I see. What about your mom and your grandma? Do they dive into the ocean too or have they ever dived into the ocean?”
“No they don’t dive into the ocean either. The only time they would go into the water is at the beach also.”
“I see. But not only do you dive into the ocean Diane D, you dive from the sky. I hear you skydive also, is that true?”
“Yes I skydive with my cousin Dana.”
“You skydive with your cousin Dana?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. Did you and your cousin Dana skydive on your own, or were you two strapped to another skydiver?”
“We were both strapped to other skydivers, then we all jumped out of the airplane.”
“Wow that is interesting! How many times have you and your cousin Dana skydived?”
“Around nine or ten times.”
“Around nine or ten times?! Wow that’s interesting! I hear that you and your cousin Dana ride motorcycles too, is that true?”
“Yes we do.”
“Oh yeah? Do you two drive the motorcycle yourselves or do you usually ride on the back of them?”
“Both. Sometimes I ride on the back of the motorcycle behind my husband or my brothers and sometimes I drive the motorcycle myself. Sometimes Dana rides on the back of the motorcycle behind her boyfriend or her brothers and sometimes she drives the motorcycle herself too, then she and I would just drive the motorcycles together.”
“My goodness Diane D, you are adventurous!” Beatrice turns to Michael and says, “So Michael, are you all part of a motorcycle club?”
“Sometimes,” Michael says. “Sometimes we ride motorcycles with around forty or fifty other bikers and sometimes our family would ride on our own.”
“I see. Wow.” Beatrice looks back at Diane D and says, “So Diane D, you also work in the hospital too, right?”
“Yes I do,” Diane D says.
“Wow Diane D! You’re a performer, you dive into the ocean, you jump out of airplanes and ride motorcycles! You’re no typical housewife I can tell you that. You also do charity work, you work in a hospital, you’re a personal trainer and you‘re a choreographer! You seem to have done it all and still doing a lot. You all are a real adventurous family and a business family. Congratulations on all of your success.”
“Thank you.”
“Well it was sure nice having you here Diane D.”
“Thanks.”
“And thank you too Michael.”
“You’re welcome,” Michael says.
Beatrice turns to the camera and says, “Well there you have it ladies and gentleman, Diane D and her husband Michael. I hope you enjoyed this program and also join this program again. Have a good day.” Beatrice turns away from the camera and turns back to Diane D and Michael.
It is a week later. Diane D’s family and relatives are at a church function. Nicolas and Michael approach Mary and Margarita as Nicolas says, “Mom, Grandma we ran out of food.”
“Yeah,” Michael says. “There’s still a long line of people outside.”
“Don’t worry,” Margarita says. “Another truckload of food is on the way. It should be here any minute now.”
“That’s good,” Nicolas says. “We’re gonna go to the Senior Center across the street to donate more clothes.”
“Remember you two,” Mary says. “We’re gonna have another meeting at the organization 6:00 this evening. We’re going to plan another fund raiser next month. The kids are going to have another baseball game.”
“Another one?” Michael asks.
“Yeah.”
“Okay Mom. We‘ll be at the meeting.”
“Okay.” Mary and Margarita turn away as Michael and Nicolas turn around and head towards the exit door.
Chapter 5
Trouble At The Youth Baseball Game