Hi Vicki!
“Here we are, everyone!” Coach Campos announced, flinging his arms wide as if to encompass the entire building. “The Metropolis Natural History Museum.
I wonder how young ‘young’ means. I’m assuming 16-ish? And it’s Clark’s first outing into the big bad world? I wonder what he will find in Metropolis. Aside from feisty local girls, I mean.
“Yes, Coach Campos,” the throng of college football players mumbled, most of them sounding annoyed to be spending the day inside a museum.
He’s already in college? Oh boy. This means said earlier mention of a feisty local girl is at least a feisty student body president and possibly has a huge chip on her shoulder in regards to Hicksville football rowdies running amok in her beloved Metropolis.
![[Linked Image]](https://cosgan.de/images/smilie/teufel/d090.gif)
He also wanted to take his time and really study the things that interested him the most.
He does realize that in the Big City, they call it stalking if he trails after an 18 y/o high school student all day, right?
Clark laughed at his friend’s ribbing. “Yes, we had museums in Kansas,” he said, emphasizing the correct state name.
He does realize that the corn cob museum in the backroom of Maisie’s diner doesn’t count, right?
CLARK: It’s called a ‘museum’, thus it counts.
“Right? It was like we were dragging him to a medieval torture chamber the way he whined on the bus.” Austin shook his head.
They don’t have that particular exhibit in the Natural History museum?
“Right this way, oh unenlightened one,” Austin replied with a grand gesture to the left most doorway into the museum.
I wonder if Clark could read the descriptions when they are entering the room and then use that freshly gained knowledge to impress his teammate?
“Well,” Clark began, sipping the last of his soda. “I was really hoping to see the rocks and gems, then make my way to the planetarium.”
Good thing nobody found any Kryptonite yet.
Austin hooted a laugh so loud that a group of high school kids stared at him like he’d suddenly sprouted an extra head.
Then he was off to the planetarium, quickening his step a little to avoid the influx of high schooler girls who were coming into the exhibit.
![[Linked Image]](https://cosgan.de/images/smilie/teufel/d075.gif)
For the next forty minutes, Clark sat in rapt attention as the “Tour Guide” showed everyone a multitude of constellations and pointed out easy ways to find them in the night sky,
Very important for navigation in the times before GPS became a readily available accessories for airborne super heros.
If I was sent here on purpose…why?
That’s easy. Krypton has sent out hundreds of babies to inhabited worlds. Those you are not killed outright by the natives are a good indicator if the world can be considered fit for takeover.
“Excuse me,” a girl said, coming up alongside of him, to his right.
![[Linked Image]](https://cosgan.de/images/smilie/teufel/a020.gif)
“Uh…” Clark stammered, at a loss. He didn’t want to look like a crazy person in front of this young lady.
Wow! his brain screamed, as he looked at her.
![[Linked Image]](https://cosgan.de/images/midi/frech/a050.gif)
“I was just…looking…at the images,” he lamely added, gesturing limply to the wall where they were displayed.
LOIS:
![[Linked Image]](http://cosgan.de/images/midi/konfus/a050.gif)
Of course. Football jock from Hicksville. Probably can’t read enough to find the bathroom.
“You write for the school paper?” Clark asked, intrigued even more, and forgetting, for a moment, what he’d been looking at only a few moments before.
LOIS: Yes. Women can be reporters, too.
She gave him an impish grin. “You don’t seem like the typical meat head football player,” she said, appraising him.
Yeah, he’s more bone headed than meat headed.
“Don’t worry,” he assured her with another small, almost shy smile. “No offense was taken. Sad to say…I know exactly the kind of guy you meant.”
So, they’ve both been to the Neanderthal exhibit on the second floor?
But…look at these two images here. 1965 and 1970. Notice anything odd?”
So, one star’s missing, huh?
“There’s something here. A star maybe. Or a planet.
No, it’s a star all right.
The girl got closer and squinted a little at the image. “Yes…” she said hesitantly.
“It’s not in the one from 1970.”
Yeeees? Stars go boom some times.
She’s in high school.
You’re in college.
She could be underage.
You could be arrested.
Probably should have done a little bit of legal research first, huh? You know, just in case…
Clark felt his heart clench reflexively in fear. He wanted nothing to do with a scientist at that moment. But his companion was moving with all the speed and force of a freight train, and he felt almost helpless as he allowed himself to be dragged along. And maybe, just maybe, he admitted to himself, he was a little curious to see what she was planning.
Clark looked at the man’s name tag.
Dr. Bernard Klein.
But the doctor didn’t take it right away. Instead, he gestured to the blank page opposite her notes. “If you wouldn’t mind giving me your contact information, I can let you both know if I find out anything about what you’ve found today.”
So, Clark’s going to write his contact information in Lois’s notebook with a ball pen? That might easily leave an impression on the next page, too. An indentation that could then be recovered using a pencil…
“Sorry,” he said, with a shake of his head, “I don’t have a phone at school.”
Really? *Realllllly*?
“By all means,” Lois conceded. “When you need to go, you need to go. It was nice meeting you, Clark.”
So, that’s where he got the idea for lame exuses.
Cute one! One does wonder if he will truly remember 4-5 years later. Or if Lois will. Probably depends on if she will win a prize for her story.
Michael
