Date: Sat, 16 Oct 1993 17:20:26 -0500 (CDT)
From: 2EI5ZEMANP@vms.csd.mu.edu
Subject: "In Your Eyes" - Part III
Message-Id: <01H46SALNCW890NLAT@vms.csd.mu.edu>

                                  IN YOUR EYES
				    Part III
                                 By Philip Zeman
                            2ei5zemanp@vms.csd.mu.edu


     Sam survived the small talk rather well; thankfully the crouton story was
put to rest rather quickly.  And it was easy for him to get the other people to
talk about school.  Neal, being away at college, was not likely to know much
about what was going on during the past few months, and that hunch proved to be
true.  In fact, Janet loved talking about her senior year, and as she talked,
Sam could see what qualities Neal liked in her.  She was witty, beautiful, and
had a great personality in addition.  `She's almost the ideal person for me-uh
Neal!' he thought, hastily adding the Neal part.  Sam seemed to be identifying
with Neal more quickly than he did with other Leapees.  There was something
about Neal that reminded him of himself. Perhaps it was the physical
appearances, but it seemed to be much more.
     "So, Neal, you said college was different.  What do you think of it?  
Is it much harder than high school?"
     `What would Neal say?' Sam thought.  "Oh yes, it's much harder than high 
school, especially, um," - he took a stab in the dark - "Calculus I."
     "Yeah, I can imagine what that's like.  Thank God you had Topics with Mr.
Knight last year," offered Tom.
     "Topics, um, prepared me well." Sam replied, but Janet seemed to notice
his lack of confidence in his answer.
     "Neal?  Are you okay?"
     "Well, um, actually, no." Sam answered truthfully.  "It's hard to make
small talk when you haven't been, er, with you in school."
     "Yeah, I understand.  Well, don't have to worry about that anymore.  I
think it's time we go to the dance."  
     "Oh. I guess you're right."  Sam motioned the waitress over.  "Could we
have the check please?"
     After the waitress handed him the sheet of paper, Janet and Karen decided
to "powder their noses."  In other words, they let Sam and Tom decide how to
handle the check.  Sam opened Neal's wallet and paid for his and Janet's food.
     As soon as the girls returned, they left Luigi's and headed for the car. 
Problem was, Sam had no idea which car was Neal's.  Just as he was about to 
whisper Al's name, the Observer zapped into existence.  "It's the black Buick 
over there, Sam."  He motioned with his lit cigar.
     Opening the door, Sam faked checking his pockets, and said, "Could you
wait here a second?  I left my wallet back in the restaurant."
     "You did that last year!" Janet said, laughing slightly.
     "Be right back!" Sam turned towards the restaurant, Al following right
next to him.
     "Geez, Sam, forgetting your wallet?  A definite no-no in my book of
dating, and believe me, there are very few no-no's."
     "Al, I didn't forget my wallet, I just needed to talk to you.  First, do
you know where I am headed?"
     "Yes, you are headed for All City High School for their Homecoming '92
Dance.  It's easy, I'll have Ziggy direct you."
     "I don't know, Al.  Last time you did that, some elderly lady hit my - I
mean Sean Cameron's - BWM with her Cadillac!  Remember how mad Charlie was at
first?  I don't want to get Neal involved in something like that."
     The mention of Charlie's name caused Al to be silent.  After a moment, he
asked, "You have a better idea, Sam?"  After no response, Al looked slightly 
smug.
     Changing the subject, Sam asked "Do you know why I'm here?"
     Al punched a few buttons on the handlink.  "You're here to see that Neal
and Janet stay together."
     Sam looked shocked.  "You've got to be kidding me.  It's obvious that
Janet has feelings for Neal.  Surely he feels the same way too!  What happened
in the original history?"
     "Well, originally, Neal and Janet went to Homecoming together.  Then a few
months later he found out that Janet has a new boyfriend.  Granted, they
weren't actually going together, but it still hurt.  He never thought that
she'd find somebody else.  And he was really stung because he found out through
her friends."
     "Then what?"
     "He tries to get over her, goes to Prom with another of his high school
friends, Mara Prentiss, and it's a disaster.  Then at Janet's graduation party,
he realized he still had strong feelings for her, and it just about kills him
to see her with her new boyfriend.  Janet and Neal drift apart, Neal never
fully gets over it, and his future is haunted by the ghost of what could have
been."
     "What do you mean, Al?  Come on, this kid's got a big future in front of
him!"
     "How do you know that?"
     "Well, when I looked into his eyes in the mirror, he kind of reminded me 
of... _me_."
     `What is it with this kid?' Al thought.  "Well, you or not you, Neal can't
land a steady job, and he drifts from relationship to relationship, never gets
married, and is plain miserable, which kind of reminds me of _me_ before you
found me."
     Again there was silence, but this time, it wasn't because of embarrassment.
Sam knew all too well that Al could be haunted by his past, so he again changed
the topic of conversation.
     "What about Janet?"
     Al wiggled the handlink when he couldn't get an immediate answer.  "Ziggy
doesn't know.  She's still searching for that info."
     "So I'm here to make sure that Janet and Neal stay together?  How do I do
that?  And what caused the break up?  I mean, they are dating one month, then
suddenly BAM! they aren't?"
     "I don't know.  All we can figure out that it has to happen this weekend
or else you wouldn't have Leaped in here when you did."
     "Tell me something I _don't_ know Al."  Sam threw up his hands in disgust.
"All right, I'll do my best."  He headed back to the car and drove to the 
dance.