“We are,” Barry says. “We still have your number and we’ll call you as soon as we get some time off.”
“Cause believe us,” Margarita says, “we do need some time off.”
“I think so too,” the reporter says. “You all have done so much.”
At the other end of the hallway, a chunky young white male around his early 20’s with a tan complexion and dark wavy hair is walking with an elderly white gentleman who’s walking with a cane. He says to the elderly gentleman, “Make sure you take all your medications Grandpa.”
“Okay Freddie,” the old man says.
Freddie turns to the side and looks down the other end of the hallway. He then says, “Hey Grandpa! That looks like Diane D’s parents and grandparents over there!”
The older gentleman looks down the hall. He then says, “Oh yeah that is them. That’s the people from the Diaz-Davidson organization. They come here sometimes.”
“They do?!”
“Yeah.”
“Well I got to go meet them real quick! I hear that they’re having an upcoming audition in two weeks and I want to audition for them!”
“You do?”
“Well sure I do! This might be my golden opportunity to get exposure to showcase my opera talent to the public!” Freddie turns back to his grandfather and says, “Could you hold on for a minute Grandpa?! I’m gonna go speak to them about auditioning for them!”
“Okay Freddie. Go for it.”
“I’ll be right back!” Freddie turns and hurries away.
Back at the other end of the hallway, the reporters continue to talk to Margarita and Tomas as one of them says, “Okay, just give us a call as soon as you all get some time off.”
“We will, thanks,” Margarita says. Margarita, Mary, Barry, Tomas, Tonio and Marilyn turn away from the reporters. They start to walk away as the senior citizens follow behind them. Freddie suddenly approaches Margarita, Mary, Barry, Tomas, Tonio and Marilyn. He stops right in front of them and says, “Hey!” Margarita, Mary, Barry, Tomas, Tonio and Marilyn stop and look at Freddie as Freddie says, “You’re Diane D, Nicolas and Mickey’s parents and grandparents of the Diaz-Davidson Organization, aren’t you?!”
“Well yes we are,” says Margarita.
“Wow it’s so nice to meet you all! I’m here visiting my grandfather! I was walking in the hallway with him and I happened to spot you guys! I had to come here to say ‘hello‘! I want you guys to know that your family’s organization is fantastic! I came to see plenty of your shows before!”
“You have?”
“Heck yeah!”
“Well thank you.”
“Yeah thanks for your support,” Tomas says.
“You’re welcome,” Freddie says. “I hear that your family’s organization is having an audition in two weeks!”
“As a matter of fact, we are,” Margarita says.
“Wow that’s great! I heard your children and grandchildren convinced you all to have an audition!”
“Yes they did,” Mary says. “What can we do for you?”
“Well, my name is Freddie Thompson! I’m planning to be at your family’s audition and audition for you guys.”
“You are?” Barry asks.
“Yeah!”
“Well what talent are you planning to audition for?” Tonio asks.
“Singing!”
“Singing?” Barry asks.
“Yeah! I sing opera!”
“You sing opera?” Margarita asks.
“I sure do! I’m gonna audition to sing opera so that I can hopefully sing opera at one of you organization’s next events!”
“Okay,” Margarita says. “Well good luck. Hopefully you’ll pass our audition.”
“You think you all can give me a shot at performing at one of your next shows?!”
“We have to see how well you do at the audition process.”
“Why wait at the audition process when I can just sing a quick opera tune for you right now?! Here goes!” Freddie Thompson holds his arms out and starts to sing an opera melody. Mary, Margarita, Barry, Tomas, Tonio and Marilyn look at Freddie as he sings a loud wonderful opera tune. The senior citizens listen to Freddie and become amazed at Freddie’s opera talent. Freddie excitingly finishes singing the opera tune. He smiles and is out of breath.
The senior citizens cheer and clap for Freddie as one of the senior men says, “Wow! That was great young man!”
“It was!” an older woman says.
“Thank you!” Freddie says. “Thank you!” The senior citizens continue to cheer and clap for Freddie. Freddie holds his arms out towards Mary, Margarita, Barry, Tomas, Tonio and Marilyn and says, “Well, what do you guys think, huh?!”
“Wow,” Margarita says. “It sounds like you got potential there.”
“You think so?!”
“Well that’s the way it sounds,” Tomas says.
“Thanks! Thanks a lot!”
“We’ll see you at the audition,” Margarita says.
“So do I have a shot at singing at your family’s next event?”
“We’ll let you know after you audition for us,” Mary says. “We gotta go now.”
“Okay then!” Freddie says. Mary, Margarita, Barry, Tomas, Tonio and Marilyn turn and start to walk away. Freddie then shouts to them, “Freddie Thompson is my name! Don‘t forget! My name is Freddie Thompson!” Mary, Margarita, Barry, Tomas, Tonio and Marilyn turn their heads and look back at Freddie as Freddie shouts, “Make sure you spread the word to the rest of your family and organization about me and my opera talent!”
Mary, Margarita, Barry, Tomas, Tonio and Marilyn continue to look at Freddie. They then turn their heads back forward as they lead the senior citizens away.
Freddie looks on smiling at Mary, Margarita, Barry, Tomas, Tonio and Marilyn as they continue to walk away. He then says to himself, “I think they like my opera talent. Boy, I just know they’re gonna spread the word about my good opera talent to the rest of their family and organization, I just know it.” Freddie continues to look on smiling.
Chapter 28
Diane D’s Family Have Auditions For The Fans
It is two weeks later. There is a large crowd of around several hundred excited people in the hotel hallway including Freddie Thompson and a set of 10-year old identical twin black brothers. There is a large banner in the hallway that reads: DIAZ-DAVIDSON AUDITIONS. There are large posters of the DIAZ-DAVIDSON performers and athletes on the walls. The people look all along the walls at the banners and posters with photos of the performers that include Diane D, The Dianettes, Nicolas and Mickey, Mike and Mitch, Michael and the Band, The Rangos, The Alpha Dancers, The Diaz-Davidson Choir, The Youth Performers, The Youth Athletes, staff members and many more. Freddie Thompson then turns to a woman and asks, “So what are you auditioning for?”
“I’m auditioning to play the piano,” the woman says.
“You play the piano?”
“Yeah.”
Freddie turns to a group of guys and asks, “What are you guys auditioning for?”
“We’re auditioning for our band to play at one of the Diaz-Davidson’s shows or concerts,” one of the guys say.
“Oh yeah? Well I met Diane D’s parents and grandparents at the senior center two weeks ago while I was there visiting my grandfather.”
“You did?” a second man says.
“Yeah. They had stopped by there. When I heard Diane D’s parents and grandparents were going to be at the senior center, I said to myself ‘let me go visit Grandpa, and hopefully while I’m there, I’ll get to run into Diane D’s parents and grandparents and audition for them right there on the spot‘. I did happen to run into Diane D’s parents and grandparents and sung for them right there.”
“You did?!” a third man says.
“I sure did!”
“Is that the only reason you went to visit your grandfather,” another lady says, “so you can hopefully run into Diane D’s parents and grandparents to audition for them right there on the spot, that way they’ll hire you on the spot?”
“No,” Freddie says. “I visit my grandfather all the time anyway. It’s just on that day, I made it special to go visit him, once I found out that Diane D’s parents and grandparents were going to be visiting the senior center that day also.”
“Well I guess your plan for Diane D’s parents and grandparents to hire you on the spot didn’t work, because you wouldn’t be standing here on this audition line with the rest of us.”
Freddie disappointedly looks at the woman.
Alex and four staff members from the Diaz-Davidson come from around the corner. They approach the crowd as Alex shouts, “Okay everybody!” The crowd turns and looks at Alex as Alex shouts, “You’re all here for the Diaz-Davidson auditions right?!”
“Yeah!” the crowd shouts.
“Okay! What I need you all to do is line up against the side of the wall!” The crowd excitingly starts to line up against the wall as Alex shouts, “Now since there are so many people out here, what I’m gonna do is send around thirty people at a time! When you all go into the Ball Room, you’re going to give your name to Diane, Nicolas and Mickey and tell them what talent you’re auditioning for!”
“Diane?!!” the crowd excitingly shouts. “Nicolas and Mickey!! What!! You mean Diane D, Nicolas and Mickey are here?!! They’re in there?”
“Not yet, they will be.”
“Aaaaaaahh!!” the crowd shouts. “Diane D and her brothers are going to be in there! Diane D and her brothers are going to be in there! Aaaaaahh!!”
“What!” a man in the crowd says. “We get to meet Diane D and her brothers!! We get to meet Diane D and her brothers!!”
“Aaaaahh!!” the crowd says.
A woman in the crowd turns to Alex and says, “You mean Diane D and her brothers are going to do the auditions?!”
“No they’re not going to be the ones doing the auditions!” Alex says. “Their parents and grandparents are gonna do the auditions! Their parents and grandparents aren’t here at the moment, they’re back at the senior center. Diane and her brothers are just gonna take some of your names and write down what talent you’re auditioning for! They’re going to handle that part until their parents and grandparents get here, but for now, I need you all to line up!” The people in the crowd continue to line up. They excitingly look at the banners and posters of all the performers of the Diaz-Davidson Organization.
A male teenager points to the posters and says, “Hey! There goes Mike and Mitch up there!”
“Yeah I see them too!” another boy says.
“They are so fine!” a teenage girl says.
“They are!” says a second teenage girl. “I hope they’re here too! I hope we get to see them!”
“Yeah I hope so too!” another teenage boy says.
“What?” a third teenage boy says. “Mike and Mitch are here?”
The rest of the crowd become anxious as one of the men asks, “Mike and Mitch are here?”
“We don’t know,” the first teenage girls says. “We were just hoping that they’re here because we want to see them.”
“Yeah I would like to see them too,” a woman says.
“I want to take a picture with them,” a small girl says.
“Yeah I want to take a pitcher with them too!” says a third teenage girl. The crowd continues look at the banners and posters of all the performers of the Diaz-Davidson Organization.
Down the hallway around the corner, Diane D comes from one of the doors with papers in her hand as Phyllis, Evette, and Monique follow her. Phyllis turns to Diane D and asks, “Diane how long is the audition going to take?”
“Around three hours,” Diane D says. Diane D, Phyllis, Evette, and Monique reach the corner of the other hallway. Three male staff members approach Diane D. Diane D stops and talks with the male staff members as Phyllis, Evette, and Monique stop with her.
Back at the other hallway, the crowd at the front of the line including Freddie Thompson and the 10-year old twins see Diane D. They start to scream and shout, “Hey Diane D! Hey! Diane D!”
“There goes Diane D with her family’s staff members!” a boy in the crowd says. Alex turns towards Diane D and the staff members. The rest of the crowd becomes anxious and excited as they try to get a glimpse of Diane D. “Hey Diane D!” the crowd shouts. “Hey Diane D! Diane D!”
“Are Mike and Mitch over there?!” a girl in the crowd asks.
“I don’t see them!” says a boy in the crowd.
The girl turns to Alex and asks, “Are Mike and Mitch here?”
“No Mike and Mitch are not here,” Alex says.
“Where are they?”
“I do not know where Mike and Mitch are right now. All I know is they’re not here.”
“How come they’re not here?”
“Because Mike and Mitch don’t do auditions.”
“Oh, okay.” The girl looks towards Diane D as she and the rest of the crowd shout out, “Diane D! Diane D!” Diane D does not see or hear the crowd. She continues to talk with the staff members, making suggestions to them with her hand as the crowd anxiously and excitedly call out to her, “Diane D! Diane D!” The crowd anxiously and excitingly take their cell phone cameras and try to snap pictures of Diane D.
Alex turns to the crowd and shouts, “No pictures or videos please! Put the cameras away!” The crowd put away their cell phone cameras.
Alex turns from the crowd and looks towards Diane D. He then walks away towards her.
Alex comes down the other hallway. He approaches Diane D and says, “What’s up Diane?”
Diane D and the staff members turn their heads towards Alex as Diane D says, “Hey Alex.”
“You ready for the people Diane?”
“Yeah I’m ready for them Alex. Send the first fifty people in the first Ball Room now.”
“Okay.” Alex turns from Diane D. He walks back down the hallway as Diane D and the staff members turn and head towards the Ball Room.
Alex approaches the crowd as the crowd still tries to get a glimpse of Diane D. Alex then says, “Okay people, I’m going to send fifty people at a time! The first fifty people go into the first Ball Room!”
“Okay!” the people shout. The first group of fifty including Freddie Thompson and the set of identical twin brothers excitingly walk into the second hallway as the rest of the crowd wait anxiously.
Inside the first ballroom, Diane D sits at the edge of a long table with her legs crossed and a cordless microphone in her hand. There are water bottles and cappuccinos on the long table as Phyllis sits behind the end of the table beside Diane D showing Diane D something on the paper. Evette sits behind the desk besides Phyllis with a pen and paper and Monique sits behind the desk besides Crystal with a pen and paper. Other Diaz-Davidson staff members stand around them. The first group of people excitingly enter the ballroom. They see Diane D. They excitingly look at Diane D as they enter the ballroom and say, “Hey Diane D! Hey Diane D!”
Diane D turns her head to the crowd. She speaks into the cordless microphone as her deep voice comes out into the speakers and says, “Hello everybody. Just line up against the wall please.” The people excitingly go and line up against the wall. They excitingly turn towards Diane D and say, “Hello Diane D!”
“What’s up everybody,” Diane D says. “How are you all feeling?”
“Excited!”
“Nervous,” a woman says.
“I’m just so nervous to meet you Diane D!” a second woman says.
“I’m nervous too,” a girl says.
“Don’t worry,” Diane D says. “It’s no need to be nervous. What I’m going to do right now is go down the line, each of you are going to tell me your name then tell me what talent you have or what talent each of you want to audition for. Once we do that, you all are going to go into the Grand Ballroom to audition for my parents and grandparents, because they’re the ones who are going to be making the decision who they think is good or not and they’re the ones who are going to be doing the actual hiring.”
“Actual hiring?” a young man says. “Wow.”
“Now before we get started, does anybody have any comments or questions?” Diane D says. One of the women raises her hand. Diane D looks at the woman. She points her arm and hand to the woman and says, “Yes ma’am.”
“So if your parents and grandparents hire us, we’re going to actually get paid?” the woman asks.
“Yeah if they like your talent and choose you,” Diane D says. The people become excited. Diane D then says, “If they hire you, you get to perform your talent at one our next events and you will get paid for it.” Freddie raises his hand. Diane D looks at Freddie. She points her arm and hand to him and says, “Yes sir.”
“How much money will we get paid?” Freddie asks.
“I don‘t know, it depends.”
“What about in the hundred thousands, the six digit figure?” a man asks.
“Yeah some performers made the six digit figure through the years.”
“Through the years? What about in the millions?“
“Through the years.”
“Some performers made in the millions?!” a woman asks.
“Through the years ma’am, it didn‘t happen overnight.”
“I see.”
“Which performers made in the millions through the years?” a second woman asks.
“I can’t give out that information which performers made in the millions,” Diane D says, “that information is personal. All I can say is that it is possible and we also donated millions to charity.”
“Wow,” the people say.
“Like I said, my brothers and I told the people in the lobby a few weeks ago that my parents and grandparents feel that they already have more than enough performers. They’re only doing this auditioning because my brothers and I convinced them to have another audition, especially for the girls that were in the lobby that first asked about auditioning for me.”
“Yeah where are those girls at now Diane D?” a third man asks.
“I already have their names, information and what talent they’re going to audition for. They’re going to be the first ones to audition for my parents and grandparents because if it wasn’t for them, we all wouldn’t be here right now.” Another woman raises her hand. Diane D looks at the woman. She points her arm and hand to her and says, “Yes ma’am.”
“Where are your brothers at Diane D?” the woman asks.
“My brothers are on their way. They’ll be here shortly.” Another woman raises her hand. Diane D looks at the woman. She points her arm and hand to her and says, “Yes ma’am.”
“Where are the Dianettes?” the woman asks.
“The Dianettes are still at the other hotel.”
“They are? Where’s your husband?”
“He’s still at the other hotel too.”
“Where are the rest of the performers and organization members?”
“They’re all at the other hotel too, everybody is at the other hotel.” Another man raises his hand. Diane D looks at the man. She points her arm and hand to him and says, “Yes sir.”
“Diane D, is it okay if