Summary: What were Lois and Clark like before they started working at the Daily Planet? Here is a very brief answer to that question.
Legal Disclaimer: I don’t own anything!
Part One
Clark
Smallville 1989
It was a sunny, hot August morning, the sky was a robin’s egg blue. The rhythmic chirp and hum of dozens of insects made the air alive and dazzling with energy. Wheat fields, heavy with golden grain, soon to be harvested, swayed effortlessly in the light breeze as Clark walked up the road from Shuster’s field. His body, although invulnerable, had a fine sheen of perspiration which was ignored. The young man’s mind was completely absorbed by which new path to take in his life.
The excitement of college filled by studies, professors and football had ended with graduation over two months ago and yet, he was still in Smallville. Patiently waiting for responses from newspapers to his enquiries about an entry level position. Prof Dade Carson had assured him that a Journalism major could break into the newspaper business in several ways. He could be a communications coordinator, editorial assistant or even a copy editor, however none of these positions interested him. Clark was determined wanted to be a reporter.
Hunting for a job, any job, takes time and effort. In the meanwhile, he helped Martha and Jonathan around the farm. There was always work, to be done, but many of the chores were too rigorous for his Dad, now in his mid-fifties, to accomplish alone. But his patience, to hear about a potential job, although at first plentiful, was beginning to wear a little thin.
As the weeks slowly passed, numerous changes occurred. As planned, Pete Ross had moved Boston in order to attend Harvard Medical school, continuing his studies in Neurology. Lana Lang, failing to rekindle the high school romance enjoyed with Clark, had joined her parents in Europe, participating in an archaeological dig of ancient Roman ruins in the Pyrenees. Wayne Irig’s son, Nathan, had returned from agricultural school to settle down and help his dad run the farm.
But Rachel Harris career decision was the biggest surprise. Instead of following in her father’s footsteps and joining Smallville’s tiny police force after graduating from the police academy, she had decided to switch careers, and become a lawyer. Yesterday, Clark had driven her to Kansas City airport and put her on the plane to Denver. They promised to keep in touch via letters and fax. Rachel would be all alone in the Centennial state and needed encouragement from her childhood friend. The final farewells between them at the gate were sweet, but neither intended them to be the last.
Everyone he was close to in Smallville, except Nathan, had taken up residence in another state or country. What would he do if there were no responses from any of the newspapers he had sent his resume to? Stay in quiet, safe Kansas as the editor of an equally quiet and safe newspaper? That idea at one time might have been tempting, especially if his friends were still here. Yet Clark knew Smallville was not the place for him.
A thought loomed forward… he could travel and see the world
As he continued up the road he drew close to the old barn which had been covered with new cedar clapboard siding, nailed down by thousands of steel nails coated in zinc would keep them from rusting, allowing the barn to last for another hundred years. The roof was also new, made of inky black, corrugated metal. Because of Clark’s ‘special talents’ they had saved a small fortune in labor costs.
The old building gave him a sense of permanence and home. No matter where his travels might take him, this farm with Martha and Jonathan’s quiet presence always would provide peace and rest.
A familiar voice called out to him, “Enjoyed your walk in this heat?”
He looked up to see his father walking towards him, “Yeah Dad, it was good. I needed a little time to myself.”
Nodding slowing, Jonathan Kent, joined his son, “Solid thinking requires solitude. What’s on your mind son?”
“Work. No word yet from any of the papers I sent my resume to.” The younger Kent sighed.
“Saw Philip Druchunas at the feed store yesterday. Your old reporting job at the Gazette is waiting for you… with additional responsibilities. Just say the word and its yours. But, do you really want it?”
“Sure, the experience looks good on a resume until I find something better …” Clark said without much conviction.
“But?” Jonathan asked.
He shrugged. "To the trained eye of a newspaper personnel manager, it might seem more like a timid step backwards than an upwardly mobile career move.”
Jonathan said nothing as he walked towards the chicken coop, picked up a battered, dark green feed bucket and started tossing grain which consisted of oats, barley, rye, and hard red wheat to the dozens of hens that gathered around him clucking happily. Three years ago Martha discovered that there was a growing market for organic farm fresh eggs, fruit, and vegetables. They started with five chickens and now had more than fifty and still, it was hard to keep up with the demand. The vegetables were harvested in the morning by local youngsters and by the following afternoon were being sold in supermarkets over two hundred miles away. These business decisions had been fantastic for the farm, allowing them financial gains they had not known in previous years.
His parents were happy to have Clark home, but even they knew their son should not stay, he was not a farmer. A greater world beckoned him, his years at Kansas State had opened the door a crack. It was long past time for him to step over the threshold to the next phase of his life.
“Four years of college to earn a journalism degree. That knowledge should be put to the best use. Which means working in a fast paced city environment… not in Smallville.”
Clark rubbed the back of his neck, sighed and said honestly, “There is no challenge working on a small weekly newspaper with a circulation coverage of only four counties in the state of Kansas. The most interesting story, barring a fire or tornado, was the Kansas State Fair. There were bigger stories in the world to write about and I want to be one of the reporters to cover them.”
“That’s only fair Clark. Like your friends, you want to see and do more.”
With another sigh, the younger man answered, “Yeah Dad, I do.”
A poignant smile came on Jonathan’s face. “Nothing wrong with that. A man needs to try to find a place in the world that is uniquely his own. Can’t do it editing copy about hog futures.”
As they exited the hen yard and walked up the gravelly road and took in all the pastoral beauty of his parents’ farm, he knew it was time to leave and travel. Of course with his abilities the cost of an airplane ticket wasn’t even considered. Where would he fly to first? Prague? Bangkok? Canberra? The possibilities to explore all those places were limitless. Maybe he would spend a week or two in Juneau, Alaska just to get started. Tonight at dinner he would have a serious talk with Mom and Dad about his decision and would leave the following evening for his first destination, the snowcapped mountains of Alaska.
The world was calling.
TBC
Last edited by Morgana; 03/26/24 11:44 AM. Reason: Edits
