Dirty Diana • Michael Jackson & Tatiana Thumbtzen

1 | Dirty Diana

"I highly doubt that you knew Michael Jackson. The Michael Jackson? Michael freaking Jackson? The King of Pop?"

He spoke loud enough so that the audio recorder could catch his voice.

"You really expect me to believe that? You are seriously wasting my time Diana. Michael is way too famous."

"It's the truth. I'm sure you heard his Bad album. Have you not heard Dirty Diana? The song is written for me and only me. Now you're supposed to interview me remember? Not judge me. I may be a lot of things, but I'm not crazy."

"Okay," he spat "continue. The date is January 23, 1990. My name is Tom Banks and I'm sitting here with a woman by the name of Diana. I can already tell that this is going to be one hell of a story. Go ahead Diana."

"Well it took place in the year-"

"Speak louder," he demanded.

"Okay. It took place during the summer in the year 1987. Michael was currently on tour, promoting his upcoming Bad album that was released in August that same year."

"Okay? And what else?" he asked. Judging by his reaction, he doesn't believe a word I'm saying. I'm just wasting my time and his.

"I used to work as a bartender at a nightclub here in Los Angeles. It had a Burlesque theme, which I thought was pretty cool. The moment he walked in, I knew I had to get his attention somehow. He was such a sweetheart. Very sweet and down to Earth. Like I said earlier, I could seduce any man. Any man I wanted, hell I even had Prince. But Michael was just....different."

"Continue."

|Flashback 1987|

Hollywood Club Crawl

"Good evening Los Angeles. Welcome to Hollywood Club Crawl. I am your host, the Superman Lover. In case you don't know or forgot, this is a Burlesque themed nightclub. Next up we have a young lady by the name of Ali Rose. She was born and raised here in Los Angeles and has a voice like an angel. She's currently backstage and will go live in five minutes. Stay tuned, you don't want to miss this."

"Hey Diana," my friend Christine said while approaching me in the bathroom "your fifteen minute break is over. Girl get your ass out there and work. You know you need this job."

"Honey chill. I know what I'm doing. Give me thirty seconds. I just need to make sure my makeup and hair is laid."

She rolled her eyes. "D you look good as is. And besides, you're a freaking bartender. That's it. Who the hell is looking at you? These customers are too busy focusing on these singers."

"Remember this... always, always, always keep your appearance up. If no one else is going to tell you, I will. A woman should always keep her appearance up," I smiled.

"Your thirty seconds is up. Now get back to work. Hell, because it's my turn to take a fifteen anyway," she giggled.

I rolled my eyes and walked back to my work station. I glanced at myself in my mini mirror one last time, and applied more lipstick while drawing a fake mole above my mouth.

"Hey Diana. It's good seeing you."

"I already know what you want Travis. A glass of Patron. You order the same damn thing every time you're in here," I said while he handed me his payment.