Hello all,

I know this is being posted a few days early, but I figured that some people might only check the lists once or twice a week, and I'd rather be early than late.

This vignette was unbeta-ed, so any and all errors are entirely mine.

As always, all comments greatly appreciated.

Joy,
Lynn

That gave me a good chuckle.

I was wondering if the man in the hat might be him, as that's how he's portrayed in the comics. I love Clark's usual reaction without a cause. One would think he'd have x-rayed the box first, but I guess there just wasn't time. Lois and Clark need to have another talk with Martha if she's accepting gifts from strangers.

That imp's presence is never good. They do need to talk with their daughter. Martha is very quick, just like her Grandmother.

Thanks for the feedback, gals.

Annie, my mission for this story is complete.

Virginia, he was too busy thinking about what might have happened to Martha and feeling guilty that it was his fault for not having emphasized stranger danger enough. (Had he tried to look into the box, he wouldn't have been able to do so, since it contained lead.) Good guess with Mr. Mxyzptlk.

Morgana, I agree that Mxy's presence is never good for Clark and company, (well, rarely good -- he was actually partially responsible for L&C's being together in the comics) but I always enjoy him. With one very powerful exception ("Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"), his presence always means fun for the reader/viewer. (I am deliberately ignoring the New 52 in this discussion, since I try to ignore it in general.)

Joy,
Lynn

Hi Lynn!
Sounds like Kryptonite. Or jealousy. Maybe a jealous Lois puts some Kryptonite into Clark’s birthday cake?

Oh dear. Lead?

Why would Tempus wear a hat? And be described as ‘little’?

Because one doesn’t want to be close to Lois Lane while handing her husband Kryptonite.

So…oops?



Huh, she sounds smarter than her mother. Must get it from her father’s side.

Ah, yes…



Cute one! /adjusts calendar to match correct date/

Michael

Hi Michael,

Glad you picked up on that. Give the man a chocolate cigar!

Yup. For an award-winning investigative journalist who can make some pretty impressive leaps of (il)logic and whose intuition is right on the money so often, Lois sure had one major blind spot.


Joy,
Lynn

Cute story! Clark should have known better. Wells usually means either his or Lois' life is in danger - not to drop off gifts!

Fun little way to kick off April Fools!

Hi Deadly Chakram,

I agree that Clark should have known better, but he tends to be on the trusting side, and Martha's description did fit Wells. Since he had had several encounters with the time traveler but only one with the imp, H.G. was the person who leapt to mind.

Thanks for the feedback.

Joy,
Lynn

Awesome--this is great!

I totally assumed the gift-giver was Wells initially, right along with Clark. The detail of using a glowing paint on a regular old rock was so sneaky/creative--and it set up perfectly with Clark's knee-jerk reaction to flinch upon seeing it...love that!

And wow, Martha is quick with putting the pieces together . Maybe a little investigative reporter in the works, there?

Really enjoyed this!
Laura

Well done! Short and fun, and exactly my speed right now. At first I thought you were maybe going to take this in a darker direction, but this was a clever little reveal. I wonder how Clark will handle the inevitable questions to come...

Hi Laura. It amused me when I first realized that the description of the giver could equally fit two such different characters.

Martha takes after her parents, all right.

And on a completely different topic, I hope your entire family is (finally) feeling healthy again.

Hello Mouserocks. What? Me, take things in a darker direction? No, never. (Well, hardly ever. )

I'd love to be a fly on the wall while Clark tried to have "the talk" with Martha -- probably at least a few years earlier than he had hoped.

Thank you both for leaving feedback. It made my day.

Joy,
Lynn