Whatever Happened to the Woman of Tomorrow? (Page 1 of 2)

Whatever Happened to the Woman of Tomorrow? (Page 1 of 2) 15 Jul 2007

Posted by lupinejohn in Uncategorized.
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When you first joined our story, dear readers, Stupendous Girl! was already well along in her career as a superhero. What if she had been given a choice? What if, long ago, young Irene Clark of Kentville, Nova Scotia, had decided to ignore her emerging powers, and had chosen to live a normal life? What if Irene had never become Stupendous Girl! at all, had never taken up the mantle of crime-fighting? What would the universe look like? I offer here a mere glimpse, a hint of how things would be different…

Irene reclines in her expensive new chair, one of the few indulgences she allows herself in a normally hectic workweek. Today, though, she’s made a point of clearing her schedule, having come in early each other day this week to be sure she could spare the time. Normally, when Irene is in the office (which easily covers sixty hours or more a week) her attention is split amongst dozen of tasks, some trivial and some pressing. Not at this moment, however. At this moment, the owner and CEO of Designs by Irene has her attention focused squarely on one thing – the small television that’s been brought into office for just this occasion.

On said television, the Channel Seven Action Evening News Action Team™ is plodding their way through a mundane version of the city’s third-rated evening newscast. Normally, Irene would be watching Channel Four (if she had the time at all), as Lewis had just been appointed the news director there. Today is different, as today Irene is to be profiled on Channel Seven, and she is very excited to see how she’ll come off.

“…and with this latest collapse from the Toronto bullpen, the Twins move to within a game and a half of the wild card. And that’s your sports update for today, but I’ll have all the evening games for you on the Action Late Action News at eleven thirty!”

Irene was too excited to pay much heed as the anchor bantered for a moment with the sports reporter about the latest changes in the baseball standings. For one thing, none of this jockeying in the American League would affect her beloved Mets. The more important and pressing reason for her temporary disinterest is her knowledge that the next segment of the show will be her segment.

Just as she is getting mentally ready to pay her undivided attention to the taped item, though, a resounding knock from the door to her office exclaims throughout the room that someone else wants a share of that attention.

Irene sighs audibly. She’d thought to tell everyone in the office not to disturb her at this time, but she’d obviously forgotten someone. A quick check of her mental inventory shows it could only be one person – the mail clerk. She’d forgotten him because he’d been downstairs in the mail room all day.

“Peter, please come back in ten minutes. I’m very busy at the moment.”

She’d tried to keep any venom out of her voice… Peter was a pleasant young man and a hard worker, and she had no desire to hurt his feelings. Apparently, she succeeded in warning him off without coming across as angry, as the response from the other side of the door betrays no disappointment or hurt.