1
Lois glared out at the night sky. Standing on her balcony in the chilly evening breeze she angrily watched the activity in the air over Metropolis. An Unruly mob of blinking lights swung this way and that just above the city skyline. Despite her persistent stare none took the shape she was hoping for.
It was 9:30 and the "man of steel" had stood her up again. Behind her in the dining room, tall candles shrank into their pewter holders and stuffed duck chilled under glass. A nearly empty bottle of German wine periscoped up from a brass bucket of icy water. Two place settings of fine china and silver ware sat empty over unwrinkled linen.
The phone rang and Lois felt a momentary rush of relief. It faded quickly as she remembered that Superman never called. He just showed up on the balcony with tulips from Holland or lilies from the rainforest. His excuses were always valid but Lois was growing tired of playing second fiddle to the earth's political and geological problems.
The ringing of the phone made the clicking transition to the answering machine. Lois was surprised to hear the voice of Jimmy Olsen. Jimmy was one of the up and coming photographers at the Daily Planet. He was young but had a lot of energy and had somehow managed to come under the favorable gaze of Metropolis' favorite resident. She, Jimmy and the handsome, but bumbling, Clark Kent made up the trio that Superman kept in the loop.
"Ms. Lane? Its Jim Olsen" he said. "Are you there?"
Lois wasn't going to pick up but heard the sound of laughter and music behind Jimmy's southern drawl. After standing around alone for several hours the thought of talking to someone, anyone, sounded good.
"Hi Jimmy" she said picking up the phone "I'm here. What’s up?"
"Hi Ms. Lane" he replied "I was just having a little get together tonight and its turned into a regular celebration. Thought I'd invite you over if you're not too busy."
"Sorry Jimmy. I have plans. What are you celebrating?"
"My Coffee table book" Jimmy answered "you know the Superman one?" "Yes?"
"Well my agent called and tomorrow its going to be listed as number one on both the Gotham Signal’ and Daily Planet's best seller lists."
"Really" Lois said a little jealous because her own book 'The Lives & Loves of Superman' was sliding down from its best seller status" that’s great Jimmy."
"Too bad you can't make it" he said "Its turning into quite a party."
"I tell you what Jimmy" she replied "let me see what I can do. Will you be up for a while?"
"I'm sure of it."
"Let me finish up a few things and maybe I'll come over"
"Great! See you in a while."
Lois dropped the phone onto the receiver and looked out at her empty balcony. Within a minute she had made up her mind. She turned off the stove, grabbed her purse and keys and headed out the door.
2
Superman lifted the sinking tanker into the air and freed it from the brutal waves. The Horn had done its worst on the giant ship and crude oil had begun leaking from its cracked hull.
Superman had whisked the crew to safety and now returned to prevent the ecological disaster sure to follow such a sinking. In defiance of all human laws of gravity and physics he flew the tanker 600 miles away to an empty lime rock quarry.
The soft stone would support the ship without absorbing the oil. The Preston Oil Company could easily drain the crude without causing damage to the environment. After informing the local magistrate and placing a call to Preston the man of steel leapt into the air and shot up like a rocket into the clouds.
"Gracias!" the tanker crew yelled and waved up at him as he flew away.
The streak of blue and red was already gone. He was thinking about a date he had planned with Lois Lane. The wind whistled through his black hair as he raced across the sky high over the Andes mountains. He was hoping she'd understand the circumstances of his being late. After a quick stop in the Columbian jungle he bolted out low over the Gulf of Mexico and screamed up the Mississippi towards the great lakes and the city of Metropolis.
3
Lois stepped into Jimmy's down town apartment. It looked like a giant warehouse that had been converted into a swinging hippie pad back in the 1960s. Colorfully painted brick walls rose high into the air and met with steel girders covered by yellowing glass at the top. About a hundred people were crowded onto the large main floor. A Spin Doctors tune was blaring from a stereo somewhere.
She found Jimmy autographing copies of his book for some bubbling college girls. She watched him from the unanimity of the crowd. The girls were practically slobbering on him and he didn't seem to get their advances.
"Sweet, innocent Jimmy" Lois thought. "Women throwing themselves at him and he doesn’t even realize it."
Jimmy jumped as one of the girls grabbed his ass to get his attention. Lois found herself somewhat amused and strangely jealous of the attention the girls were getting from him. At the Daily Planet he was always at her beck and call. She wasn't used to him being focused on others.
She had never noticed it before but he was remarkably well built. Life at the Planet didn't give them much time to notice each other's bodies. His curly red hair was short and lead down to a strong neck and broad shoulders. His jeans fit tightly over a firm bottom. She found herself being aroused by this man who was ten years younger than her.
4
Superman touched down on Lois Lanes balcony, tapped on the glass door and stepped back listening for her soft footsteps. His huge muscles bulged through his skin tight blue and red suit. In his hand he held an exquisitely carved jade penguin he had purchased from a small tribal market in Peru. The cool breeze wafted through his cape as a long moment passed.
When he didn't hear Lois approaching he stepped back up and tapped again on the glass. Looking inside he saw the set table and untouched duck. He noticed the floating bottle of German wine. Having promised not to use his x-ray vision at her house he concentrated on listening for movement inside.
He picked up the sound of the sleeping parakeet in the den and the two fish swimming in their tank near the front door. The steady heartbeat of a mouse somewhere in the walls caught his attention. The apartment stood still except for the hum of the air conditioner and the buzzing of the refrigerator. He realized that there were no human sounds at all inside the apartment.
5
Lois said hello to Jimmy who was ecstatic to see her. The college girls didn't seem at all pleased to have the handsome photographer distracted by another woman. They kept up their attentions for a while until it was clear that he was focused on the pretty Lois Lane. The two coworkers found themselves deep in conversation and Lois noted a spark that she had never felt for Jimmy before. She thought of all the nights they had spent staked out waiting for a story, hunkered in the back seat of a car, and had never really had a conversation.
