Chris, I want you to know that I really like and admire your story. This is such an interesting premise. I wholeheartedly agree with what you said about this part of your story:
I am trying to portray Clark as a man struggling to overcome the natural tendency EVERYONE has to admire thin, beautiful people and THEN notice that they are good, wonderful, warm-hearted people afterwords.
What you say about our tendency to admire good-looking people and ignore or despise uglier folks is so depressingly true. We so judge people by their looks. Do you know I've seen a survey that claimed that parents whose children are strikingly beautiful are very careful about making the kids wear seat belts, when the parents drive their kids somewhere? As if the parents were really anxious to protect their precious kids. But parents with uglier-than-average children forgot about the seat belt more often than not, as if it wouldn't be such a big deal if this ugly kid died.... Isn't it horrible?
Because of that, I love this:
Clark Kent floated above his living room, trying to watch the baseball game on TV. Nothing could distract him. This last trip to Africa had really bothered him. When he was visiting the children at the hospital, he was gripped by an emotional knot in his stomach. Every time he dropped off supplies to this particular MSF location, he could almost *feel* Lois’ presence there, but yet no one would admit to knowing her.
Yeah!!! Clark hasn't recognized his world's Lois, because she is much fatter than he expects her to be. But he feels her presence, her essence, when he comes near her! I love it!
Then H.G. Wells comes to see Clark. Like so many others, Wells fears that Clark won't be able to love a fat Lois:
“I need you to come back to 1992 with me. But there is something I must inform you of first, and it may change your decision. Please be honest when you consider what I’m about to tell you,” Wells said, most gravely.
“Well, the Lois Lane of this world is, uh, a little *different* than the one in the other universe. Not quite as, uh, *hot* as you 20th century folks like to say,” Wells began.
“The Lois Lane of your world has always had a weight problem. She’s apparently quite….obese.” Herb put his head down to stare at the floor, because he couldn’t bear to see the expression on Clark’s face.
Okay! Herb has told Clark about Lois's weight. Now how will Clark react? I found myself almost holding my breath....
Clark quietly absorbed this information, and suddenly, her father’s comments to him (“she’s not your type”), Claude’s snide remark (“if she looked like that when I dated her, I might have married her”), and Perry’s description of her doppelganger as “emaciated” made perfect sense.
Okay.... now he understands why Claude, Perry and Sam have said the things they've said about Lois. Still, Clark, what do
you think about this piece of information?
“Omigod,” he said. “I’m so stupid. No one wanted to come out and tell me this. No wonder she hated having pictures taken of her. And her father…what an absolute jerk he is. He really doesn’t deserve to have her for a daughter. Poor Lois. Her mother died of alcoholism, and her picture-perfect older sister probably cast a shadow on her growing up. And I’m an idiot. No wonder no one at the camp in Brazzaville recognizes her. I’m showing them a picture of the *other* Lois!”
Well, good! He isn't disgusted at the thought of a fat Lois, at the very least. And he is feeling sorry for her, because people have treated her badly. But will he be able to love her?
Clark raced over to his nightstand and took out the only picture that he had been able to find of *his* Lois: her valedictory speech at Met U from 1988. It wasn’t a great picture, but clearly, he could now tell that she was a heavier woman than the Lois of the other universe. “This is the picture I need to be carrying around with me,” he said excitedly. He took the photo of the *other* Lois that he carried in his pants pocket and ripped it up.
Yes!!!! He still wants to keep looking for her!!!
Herb dared to look up at Clark Kent. He was pleasantly surprised to find that there was no look of disgust on his face; just a perplexed expression.
“I think if I bring you back to the day she disappeared, you might be able to help me find out what happened to her. But it might be a shock for you to see her. You might not find her attractive. What will you do then, Mr. Kent?”
But H.G. Wells still fears that Clark will be shocked when he sees her. Anyway, I'm glad that Clark is going to learn what happened the night when Lois disappeared.
Anyway, Clark's answer to Wells is heartwarming:
“I would hope that I’m not that shallow, Herb. I admit, like any guy, I enjoy looking at a woman with a great figure. But there are thousands of women that throw themselves at me every day that have perfect bodies. I don’t fall in love with any of them. I really believe that the inner essence of Lois Lane is my soul mate. We’re just going to have to put that to the test. Let’s go.”
Wells breathed a sigh of relief. He had just seen the “super” part of “Superman” in action.
And I totally loved this. What is most "super" about Superman? His superhuman physique? No, his incredibly good heart, I think.
So Wells takes Clark back to the night when Lois disappeared. And....
Clark landed on the roof of Lois’ apartment, leaving Herb there, while he flew down to her window to see if she was in the apartment. Floating outside, using his enhanced vision to locate Lois, his heart skipped a beat when he saw her sound asleep in her bedroom.
His heart skipped a beat - I love it! He's so happy to see her!
He can see, of course, that she is fat. But he doesn't use that word to himself:
Clark smiled. There she was. *His* Lois. Her face was fuller than the Lois he had met, but the feeling he got just looking at her was the same as when he flew over the MSF camp in Brazzaville. He took a millisecond to memorize her heartbeat. He would be able to find her now, wherever she ended up.
I love that he loves her! To me, it's obvious that he does.
But then Lois is kidnapped. Clark sees Tempus materialize in her apartment, and then she disappears. Fortunately, things could have been worse:
“Mr. Kent, we came back here to find out what happened to her. We can’t change the past. All we can do is hope to find her in your present,” Herb replied. “Who knows where he took her? She could be in any time, any place. Oh, dear me.”
“I think I know where she is,” Clark revealed. “Herb, let’s get back to 1997 ASAP.”
Yes, he knows, because he has sensed her presence in Brazzaville!
But why did Tempus kidnap Lois?
“Why did Tempus take Lois out of 1992?” he wondered when they were back inside. “I wasn’t even in Metropolis yet. We hadn’t even met.”
“It’s brilliant, really,” Herb stated. “As you know, Mr. Tempus is a lover of irony. He knew that the other Lois would be there for your debut. He deliberately created Superman by bringing the other Lois to this world. You were with Lana, a tall beautiful blonde. You would have never noticed the other Lois.”
Oh, because he thought that only a thin Lois would capture Clark's attention and convince him to become Superman. And then, if he ever met the Lois from his own universe, he would find her unattractive and never consider marrying her. Hence no Utopia.
“I’m quite certain that you and this world’s Ms. Lane would have become coworkers and professional friends, At some point, though, if the other Lois hadn’t arrived in this world and convinced you to become Superman, you would have ended up marrying Lana. This way, he breaks up your marriage and makes you miserable, pining for a Lois that had to leave this world and go back to hers. Tempus knew that you would search for the Lois of this world, but since they don’t look exactly alike, he figured that you would never find her. Or if and when you did locate her, you wouldn’t be attracted to her. There’s the irony of it all. Very cunning fellow, that Tempus. By the way, did you get a good look at *your* Lois before he abducted her?"
“Yes, I did. That’s why I think I know exactly where she is. I’ve seen her before and didn’t realize that it was her. I never considered how much fuller your face looks when you gain weight. Shame on me for just assuming that she would be exactly the same as the other Lois. I’m not the same as the other Clark. Maybe we look the same, but our experiences have been different. If I didn’t have super-powers, who knows? I might have been a druggie or an alcoholic to get through all of the bouncing around I did growing up. Lois probably suffers from poor self-esteem and eating made her feel loved. I don’t know, to be honest, if we’ll be a love match or not, but I want the opportunity to find out.”
I love how Clark considers reasons for Lois's weight problems, how he realizes that because of his own problems he might have been an alcoholic or a drug addict if alcohol or drugs had affected him, and above all, how he wants to meet Lois in person and see what happens when he does.
And I found this really moving:
“I’m pretty sure she’s a teacher at the “doctors without borders” camp just outside of Brazzaville,” Clark replied. “She must know I’m looking for her, unless she’s confused about who she is. I’m going to have to do a little investigative work before I confront her. If she doesn’t want anyone to know where she is, I need to respect that, I guess.”
Clark so much wants to meet Lois, but he'll respect her privacy if that is what she wants.
But...hmmm, I was a little disappointed that Lois was off to downtown Brazzaville to use the internet facilities there to find out what had happened to her mother and sister - I understand she needed to do that, of course. She met Eduardo there - good, he was nice, and I have always liked him. He helps her find the information about her mother and sister. Lois is horrified to learn that her mother may have died as a direct consequence of Lois's disappearance, but at least she understands that there was nothing she herself could have done to prevent it:
Lois had been stunned to find out that her mother had died of cirrhosis of the liver two years after she had been abducted. Lucy died in a plane crash six months later. Lois reasoned that even if she had tried to contact her family immediately after her mysterious arrival at the MSF camp, she would have been too late. They were both already gone!
Bridget pulled the jeep over, and held her friend of two years in her arms for comfort for the second time in 24 hours. “I don’t know, honey. Weird things happen in life. Would you like to be hypnotized and see if you can remember anything?”
Hmmm.... This isn't something I much approve of. Anyway, Lois, you need to meet Clark now, not get yourself hypnotized! And fortunately, you really may get to meet him right away:
Shortly, when they entered the camp, it was apparent that something special was going on. The minute their jeep was spotted, a crowd of doctors and children rushed around them. They were pointing up in the air. Lois looked up to find Superman floating about 20 feet off the ground. Had he been waiting for them to return?
Wow! I love it! Please don't let her hide or run away from him!
This is such a fascinating story, Chris. I love it!
Ann
