So... you’re saying to yourself: Why didn’t Lois immediately think that something had been slipped into her drink? Why didn’t she instantly make the connection each and every one of you did when reading Part 1a?

Well, upon doing a worldwide search of caselaw, the first reference I saw to the phrase ‘date rape drugs’ was in 1999 - about the same time as I saw cases begin to appear which referenced GHB in terms of something used to spike women’s drinks to facilitate rape.

However, it does take some time after something is introduced to make it into the cases that are published. So although I do not remember the year I first heard the term or exactly the danger it represented, I’m going to guess it was the mid-1990s, making Clark aware of this crime while Lois is not. However, if I am wrong... Well, this is an alternate universe . [And thanks, Ann (TOC), for giving me the idea to search the caselaw.]


ML

I loved this line:

“I’ve got to admit, you’ve got pretty good taste in men when you’re drunk. Better than when you’re sober, actually.”

So true of Lois!

And cute military action references in Clark's subtext. He's playing with fire and he knows it!

And I got where you were coming from with the date rape drug and Lois' ignorance, even without the explanation. We were a lot more naive in the 80's--heck, even in the 90's! But still, Clark would have the the one-up on this one.

Looking forward to the next part!

Yay! They met when she was sober (Maybe I should withhold my delight until I see what sort of ripples this change causes)

I wonder whether Lois would make the connection to her guardian angel, and if this happens after he's already disappeared to whenever.

You know I went back and reread part 2a. I still can't decide between Linda's brother and the footballers. Although Russell could easily have been persuaded by the footballers, since he had his own beef to pick with her. OMG, A freshman and Lois already has more than one suspect who'd have it in for her. :p

Hey how is Clark planning to move the time machine into the motel. Maybe the move might cause another jump back or forward

I knew Clark would save her, but I'm glad it happened so quickly and painlessly. Well, relatively speaking. I think Clark was in some pain trying to resist her advances.

I totally understood why Lois wouldn't get the "date rape drug" reference. I don't recall that term being used when I was in college (same time as Lois). There were cautionary tales of girls drinking too much at fraternity parties and being invited upstairs to "sleep it off" with obvious results, and I distinctly remember one party where I'd had way too much and, as much as I would have liked to have laid down to rest in an upstairs hallway, I remember telling myself, "If you lay down now, you won't get back up again, and that would be very dangerous". But the warnings about never letting your drink leave your sight were not on the radar yet. So that part, and Clark's "Oh, crap" reaction (LOL) was very believable to me.

I love that Lois, Clark/Charlie, and Molly are all thinking everything through -- it makes me smile to think of them working together so well, and I'm sure both L&C feel how "right" it is. And I'm so delighted that Lois remembers enough about the "before" to tell Molly about Ryan and what he said. Yay for girlfriends! Not only did Molly help Lois the night before, but now Lois gets to repay the favor by keeping Molly from dating a really bad guy. Obviously Molly is devastated right now, but in the end, this is going to be a really lucky break for her.

Now, a quick question ... is Clark not wearing his glasses on this trip? I haven't gone back to the previous chapters to see if it was mentioned or not, but I kept wondering if Lois was going to recognize him from her old Polaroid photo when he came to the house the next morning. And the fact that she doesn't seem to know him makes me think he's not wearing his glasses. After all, that's what's really in the old photo, isn't it? His eye and cheek, yes, but the glasses are what draws your attention. (And if I'm right, I'm definitely amused by the fact that the glasses become part of the "secret identity" all over again. )

Wahh, I don't wanna wait two more days for the next part!

Kathy

I also think that the "date rape drug" only really became well-known and was referred to as such in the late-nineties, but it existed before then.

Yeah for Lois meeting Clark "again" when she was sober and how long is Clark going to stay in this timeline? Will he be accidentally jump back or forward in time (by moving the machine to the hotel room) instead of planning it by fixing the machine? So many possiblities with the ripples that his meddling caused as well!

I hope I can wait two days for the next part!

Hah! Clark is giving Lois a story and probably doesn't realize it. If she lets out the info on date rape drugs a decade early that is certainly going to change the timeline for a lot of people!

'Mate'?

/whispers/ It's okay. You're just jumping the gun a bit. And maybe a Lois with a lovechild might be much more accommodating when she sees you again in 6 years. Or not. But definitely more fun for the gentle readers.

Something I completely forgot in last time's FDK: Maybe someone actually spiked the punch to distract Molly.

And maybe it was even him who spiked the drink. Say, did Molly decide to get Lois on her own or did Ryan suggest it?

Somebody is going to be in tro-ouble!

Okay, so much for tonight. I still need to go and check the postage rates, etc. After all, it just *might* be cheaper to get the horse head here and air-mail it than to find a local distributor who's also willing to deliver...

Michael

My submarine references came from watching too many WWII movies, in particular War and Remembrance and U-571 (which, of course, means that I don't know what half of them mean, but they sounded good when I was writing them ).

Well, at least it's not yet like in Dead Lois Walking where Clark pulls out a computer printout that unscroles down onto the floor as he says: 200 people have threatened to kill you.


It's interesting that although I can't remember what year I first heard this warning, I can remember how I heard it. I was driving in my car, listening to the news on the radio. And it had enough of an impact on me that I can still remember that moment.

I'd recommend going with a local distributor. I live in a section of the world that relies heavily on the lumber industry. And our economy collapsed a few years before the rest of the world. So people here are really hard up for work. So it would be great if you could hire a local distribultor. Hey, I could even recommend a number of crooks who would probably volunteer to leave a horse's head on my pillow for a very reasonable price.

ML

No time to properly FDK but Loved this part and ESPECIALLY loved that Lois was all over poor Clarky poo. Hmm... why would someone slip her the date rape drug and then leave? Or was it one of those guys that was carrying her out? What was the purpose of that if not rape? I'm very intrigued. Bye for now!

Maybe they were planning it, and when Clark showed up, they thought better of it. Hmm?

Thanks for the feedback.

Just wanting anyone around know that the next part will be up at midnight.

ML