The Great Clarkeny
By Maria TB Mendoza <gedri@hotmail.com>
Rated G
Submitted November 1999
___________

Author's apology: OK, I am apologizing for this one up front. I blame it on
too little sleep and too many chocolate cookies. It is a nice little comedy
piece set in the beginning of Lois and Clark's partnership and is meant
entirely for those who aren't too fond of pesky things like plot and common
sense.


The Great Clarkeny
by Maria TB Medoza <gedri@hotmail.com>


<At first, it didn't bother me too much. I mean, I know I can come off as a
little...strong willed. I'm used to people taking a while to get used to me.
So, when he first started doing it, I just thought he was a little nervous
or something. Lots of people, when they're nervous, try and get away for a
moment to calm down. I can accept that; I don't like it, but I can accept
it. But now I've known him for a while. There is something more going on
here. He can be as calm as anyone else can when the pressure is on. So why
does he do it?

I thought for a while that he might be a mole for another paper. That he was
running off to leak our stories to someone else so they could try and scoop
us. Obviously, Farmboy is WAY too much a Boy Scout for that. Ditto for the
theory that he was working for some crime lord or an ex-con afraid of
someone recognizing him. He is just too much of a good guy to ever break the
law without an extremely good reason. So I'm back where I started. Why does
he do it?

I've got it! It's obvious. He's a magician! He's just working as a reporter
to help pass the time. One day he'll show up wearing a cape and top hat and
declare that he is really "THE GREAT CLARKENY: MASTER OF DISAPEARING."
That's it. He disappears on me to help keep up his skill; and while he's
gone, he brushes up on his slight of hand on street corners for change. Yea,
that must be it. My new partner is a closet magician. Sounds good to me.>

"Hey, Lois, would you like to go to dinner?"

Tearing herself from her mental ramblings, Lois looked up at the man who she
had been thinking about. "Sure. You're buying."

"Whatever you say, Lois."

Watching him walk toward the elevators and suddenly turn at the top of the
stairs, I had to stifle giggles.

"Lois? You coming?"

"Yea. I'm coming. Just a sec." Grabbing my purse and coat, I walked toward
him.

"Mind telling me what's so funny?"

"Just remembering something." Staring at him, I had a sudden sense of double
vision. Over the man beside me, a man in a simple suit and slightly corny
tie appeared, another man in a black tux and top hat waving a cane and
disappearing. I chuckle again.

"Lois?"

"It's nothing." Fighting to control my imagination, I got in the elevator to
go to dinner with my partner. But, as I watch him out of the corner of my
eye, I can't help catching a glimpse of a red lined cape and white tipped
cane. Grinning, I promise myself that, even if he isn't working on a career
as a great disappearance artist, I will find out why he is always is such a
hurry to leave in the middle of a conversation.