Wouldn't you know this part reminded me of how much
Clark irritates me when he shows much of an interest in Mayson?
Since Clark is so skillfully lying about himself, I can't get angry at
Mayson for taking him at face value and thinking that he's nothing but a handsome and successful reporter in glasses and a loud tie. I can understand her falling in love with that aspect of him and dreaming about a future with this purely human Clark. I can sympathize with her for feeling betrayed. Either Clark has just been using her to make Lois jealous, cruelly toying with Mayson's own feelings, or else he was deluding himself into believing that it didn't matter if Mayson disliked Superman as long as she loved Clark Kent. Oh, Clark, how you dismissed and despised Lois's love for
Superman, thinking it was nothing but a stupid crush, and her love for you wasn't real unless you made her love a person that doesn't exist, non-superpowered Clark! What arrogance and what a load of baloney.
Anyway, Beth, this wasn't meant as a criticism of
your story! I love your portrayal of all the people here, but particularly of Lois and Clark. You really, really made me feel for Clark in this chapter - hey, I have
never questioned his right and need to keep his dual identity a secret from the world, just his right and need to keep it a secret from the woman he is wooing....
But for your Clark, life is all but intolerable right now. And I really have to wonder if there is a way to make things better. I once read a book about Elvis Presley's life, and I was struck by the fact that the poor guy could
never show himself
anywhere without being instantly recognized. Think of it. It would be beyond horrible. No wonder the guy secluded himself with his retinue of loyal supporters and his junk food and his drugs. At the very least Elvis got very handsomely paid every time he made a scheduled appearance. What will happen to Clark? Can he keep working as a reporter at all? How will he make a living? Will he start charging for his services as Superman? Or will he shed all normal human existence, living off sunlight, nesting in the trees and sleeping while in flight, as some birds do?
But there is one person whose loyalty Clark can count on, as soon as her shock and anger at his lies have worn off - Lois. She will not abandon him, that much I'm sure of.
What a fascinating story, Beth!
Ann
P.S. Oh, and - just so you don't think I blame Clark for
everything hat goes wrong in LnC stories!
Of course I was angry at Mayson in this part. But the most interesting thing about her reaction was not that it was thoughtless and stupid and cruel, which it was, but that I think it would have been so typical. Humans have an unbelievable ability to take things for granted. Give us Superman, and so many of us will start taking his unpaid, totally altruistic services for granted faster than we can yell "Help, Superman!" If Superman had existed, so many people would soon start asking themselves why he
didn't help out at an accident site rather than why he
did help out. And so many people would think, just like Mayson, that Superman wasn't all that much of a hero since his invulnerability meant that he didn't take any risks at all. When in reality he risked something as precious and invaluable as his inclusion in the human race for his selfless services.
