Thriller

I walk out to the pool, kick off my flip flops and lay my towel on one of the lawn chairs. It's a gorgeous day. I should be inside writing -- I have a meeting tomorrow with Warner Brothers about a script I'm working on; but it's just too nice out.

I'll go back inside in an hour...

I close my eyes and feel the sun slowly begin to kiss my skin. There's not a cloud in the sky.

I'll take a dip in the pool in a minute or two -- after I work up a bit of a sweat; but before I start to burn.

The California sun is hot. I sit for a moment; completely zen and grateful for everything that has come to me so far; a great career. Some nice things to show for it. Life is good.

Birds chirp ever so quietly in the distance. There is a stillness in the air. Moments like these are so hard to come by...

"Hola!" he says sharply. Sigh. So much for my zen.

I open one eye to see Jose standing above me. He's grinning ear to ear, and makes no effort to hide his perverted thoughts as he licks his lips and scans every inch of my body with his beady little eyes.

"Jose, can you step back please? You're blocking the sun" I say slightly agitated. The truth is -- he's actually in my personal space. And he stinks.

"No problem. Anyfing for you, Miss Karen" he says as he pulls up another lawn chair beside me; and sits down. He begins to re-adjust his balls. I sigh. If he wasn't Consuela's sister's husband -- I would never put up with him. But, I know he has three kids at home and twins on the way. This is a good job for him. And, he really does amazing work with the landscape.

He sits there; all 5 foot 3 of him. Legs wide apart as if he's in possession of an 8 foot penis. He grins constantly -- all the while staring at my body. It's getting a little awkward.

"Um, Jose" I start, "Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

He shakes his head back and forth slowly. He looks like he's constipated, but I actually think he's trying to flirt with me. As much as he's annoying -- painfully annoying, I do rather get a kick out of his delusional infatuation with me; and how he inverts it to make himself feel like I'm the one interested in him. Definitely creepy -- but harmless.

My idea of relaxing is not having Jose stare me up and down while I lie here in my bikini. I need to give him a distraction.

"Jose, why don't you put on some music?" I suggest. He smiles back at me as if I've given him a motel address and time for when we are to meet. He dips into his telenovella fantasy. I can read his thoughts:

There we are -- the two of us making hot passionate love in some seedy motel. Sweat drips from both our bodies because he is the best lover in the world. I am in exctasy. I tell him over and over again how much I love him. How I can't live without him. How I need him. But then -- we hear a noise outside the door. He shushes me all brave. He is my hero! Just when I think we are safe (after all, I need his loving so desperately!) the door is kicked open! His pregnant wife screams maniacally and races towards me with a crowbar. Jose tries to stop her -- but her adrenaline overpowers him; and before he can do anything about it, she beats me to death. He stands there astonished -- but touched. His left eye forms a tear as he opens his arms to comfort her. He is deeply moved by her undying love and commitment to him.

"No problem, Miss Karen" he flirts back. He stands and saunters over to the pool house. I hear him rustle around in there for a moment or two before the beat of Thriller begins to fill the air. Good choice Jose! I love this song.

I close my eyes and take in a brief moment of peace before Jose returns. I think about when the Thriller video came out -- and how I begged my mom to be able to stay up and watch it. I danced like a zombie for weeks after that. I was always a big fan of Michael -- after all, we share the same birthday. And, he was the King of Pop. Troubled. Potentially disturbed. But a musical genius none-the-less.

I can't believe it's been at least 5 years since he passed away.

I open my eyes to see what Jose is up to. Sure enough, he's swinging his penis back and forth like a disco dancer on speed around the edge of the pool. He smiles at me -- feeling the intensity. Now that we've made eye contact, he puts his shoulder's into it. He's the sexiest man in the Universe...in his mind at least.

I laugh. I have to. My 5 foot 3 perverted and deluded Gardiner is attempting to seduce me with one of the most repelling dance moves on earth. And man, is he ever feeling it. I stand up. I'm starting to turn a little pink. I give Jose a thumb's up before I dive in the pool. I stay under the water for a while -- because there is nothing cooler than listening to Michael Jackson submerged in water; feeling the beat - like a heart, a pulse, a lifeline to the Universe. And, I'm in utero -- here in my pool; on this gorgeous sunny day.