Chapter 242: Typical Mondays
Monday came on July 8, 1985... considered by many to be the start of another week.
Of course, this was also another day that the newspapers regularly bring about printed news into people's homes.
Well... those are mostly for the adults, elderly, and sometimes mature youths to care about anyways.
For the kids, they just snatch the paper once the adults are done and head to the kid-age catering "funny pages" section.
Of course, since its Monday... they expected that Garfield would hate it.
Other familiar titles are there though... and so is the newest strip of 'Calvin and Hobbes'... that could strangely cater to kids, adults, elderly, and sometimes mature youths of all ages!
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July 8, 1985. Monday. Calvin and Hobbes' Day Nth.
"Here's a good movie! Vampire Sorority Babes!" Said Calvin to Hobbes as they sprawled over the newspapers.
"It says you have to be eighteen to get in." The imaginarily-whimsical and reasonable tiger named Hobbes cautioned.
"Heck! That's no problem!" Little Calvin was not easily deterred.
By the last panel... Calvin's determination and plan was shown.
A trench coat with Hobbes on top and him hiding below should do the trick!
Too bad... the box office counter lady was just deadpanned at the trick. "This is a new one."
Not noticing that they've already been busted. Trench-coated and stuffed tiger-faced man's lower extremity ordered. "Two, please... I mean one!"
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Granted, Alexander Creed's humor seems a bit deep at times... but these were the kinds of strips that could bring a smile and a chuckle to those that view them.
How many times has age restriction become a problem for little ones that just want to see what secrets are the adults hiding?
Curiosity breeds innovation... and Calvin's trench coat and stuff toy combo just took the age-tricking methodology to a notch higher!
Of course... this day's comic strip had a hidden goal as well.
With Calvin and Hobbes' doing the daring just to watch a movie... why don't they themselves watch a movie for the fun of it?
Just like Calvin and Hobbes, a number of those that read the strips headed to the movie-specific sections... and see what the theaters have to offer.
Maybe, they'll even watch 'Vampire Sorority Babes' to sate little Calvin's curiosity... that is... if said film did exist!
Sadly... 'Vampire Sorority Babes' was in Alexander Creed's fictional world... but something did catch their eye.
And that was Back to the Future!
From the little box office charts... to the critic's picks... to specialize articles...
Back to the Future stood out!
It may not be the film that Calvin wanted to watch but this title must have risen to prominence in their newspaper pages for a reason.
Why not set aside some time for them to watch it?
It is even rated PG so they don't have to have stuffed tigers and trench coats!
And so... Calvin and Hobbes' July 8, 1985 publication's hidden goal may have already been achieved... for some and many!
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Anyways... Calvin and Hobbes being publicized aside... this Monday's newspaper publications clearly had the box office runnings and standings for summer films being shown as well.
It came to no surprise that this was also when Back to the Future's $11,152,500 became clear to everyone that wanted to know.
Even Alexander himself was just informed of Creed Pictures' latest achievement.
It had to be said that the Creed residence became home to a lot of varying newspaper publications these past few days... or past weekend to be succinct.
These newspapers weren't bought to keep track of Alexander's amazing run as Calvin and Hobbes' creator though... it was to calm himself from being a considerable contributor to Back to the Future.
He had to keep watch of BttF's media track to ease his hidden worries, after all.
Anyways, his worries and doubts inevitably faded since Friday night and it just shifted to incredulity when Sunday night and this morning of Monday came.
Truth be mentioned, BttF's great success was still hard for him to stomach.
11.5 million dollars for its opening week!
That meant that the film averaged 4.3 million dollars per day during its 3-day run.
Alexander wasn't even sure if that was achievable in this day and age of the film industry.
Sure 4.3 million in a day in the box office is peanuts in the 2000s and upwards... however, this was 1985... so BttF's achievement is pretty impressive.
Alexander wasn't really sure how the original one fared at its box office... so he didn't really have a gauge to judge on.
But he could remember that it was around the 11 million dollar mark as well.
On the off chance that the Creed version and the past timeline's version had the same $11,152,500 opening weekend... then he could only pass that on to the mysteries of the world being at work.
Maybe the past timeline wanted to have its mark in this renewed timeline.
Maybe the Great System had some exactness to serve as a benchmark of time.
Whatever the case was, Alexander didn't really want to think of it any further so as to not burden himself.
"All that matters is that Back to the Future is a success and my new life's back to the future I've been on should be far more eventful and interesting than what it had been."
When he thought back on it... wasn't he a time traveler heading back to the future as well?!
Alexander's strong choice to help his grandfather's film endeavors with a fitting time travel film with 'Back to the Future' as a title... was not just in the account of its great commercial success... but also his parallel to the story.
"Maybe grandpa isn't too far off when he says that everything I have brought out has some sort of mirror to myself?" This did make stoic Alexander ponder a bit about its consequences.
Why did he choose to plunder and plagiarize those things? Was it just because of its prevalent success or was it something much closer to himself?
A time traveler, thoughts on being a jet pilot, a monkey boy finding meaning in his grandfather's memento, wanting turtles as pets, Thundercats and the lion legacy, and so on and so forth.
Granted... the mirrors and parallels may just be hokum for some parts and strangely fitting for the rest.
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"What's this I hear about back to the future and life being more interesting than what it had been?" Of course, an old voice had to sound out... indicating that old Sullivan may not be far when the "time-traveler" said what he had just said. "Also, what's this I hear about my wise self being far off?"
Alexander wasn't one to panic... even though, he may have just blurted some revealing stuff regarding his biggest existential secret.
"It's nothing, grandpa. Just thinking about Back to the Future's success after reading about it in the papers... and how my life would've been so drastically different if I didn't try playing with a time travel story?" That should hopefully be enough to parry any misnomers to the whole truth.
"Just so you know, Alex.... everything that one says and does is a mirror to oneself. That is why self-reflection has reflect on it." Old Sullivan had some wise words to say.
"Even though some of your works include the ultra-mature Watchmen... it would still somehow mirror you. Granted, that also tells me how mature you really are despite how much of a kid you look."
"My work on the porn industry and choices of pornstar babysitters may have some fault in that though. So in turn, Watchmen is a mirror and reflection of both of us."
Alexander could only sigh at that. "When are you going to let that go, grandpa? I already said my reasons for publishing that story... you even blackmailed me into voice acting because of it."
The Old Creed only grinned at that. "Perhaps never."
Knowing the old man's propensity for ribbing him up... 'never' may already be set or it may also be a ruse.
"As for the question regarding how your life would be drastically different if you didn't make the Back to the Future story book... just know that your life already is."
"It makes me look back to years ago... you'll just be cooped up on your own... drawing and mourning altogether." Old Sullivan sighed with melancholy but added with joy. "With all that mourning and illustrating... it finally reflected outwards unto the Back to the Future story that moviegoers are pining on about... it also propelled you into what you are today."
"Now look at you... your name is already somewhat renowned throughout the whole nation and beyond. It's just your name that's renowned though... since you're just as much of a big mystery as your name had gotten."
"You're also not cooped up to yourself now... you have subordinates and you even have little lady friends swooni... I mean... lady friends being friendly with you."
"Essentially, you've changed for the better in my opinion." Old Sullivan had a lot to say but that was the point he truly wanted to convey.
Alexander understood what his grandfather was saying, but how'd it become a whole spiel about life, changes, and whatnot?
Granted, he was the one that started it. He, himself was having an internal deliberation on the entire BttF film and the parallels of it to his life.
Maybe Back to the Future was the one true fault of all of it. After all, some of its themes are about life, changes, and whatnot.
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Anyways, this may just be a typical Monday for the Creeds. The congratulations for a job well done on their first film project had to trail off with reflections, mirrors, and some relatively deep discourse.
In essence, Monday was truly a lot of things for many people!
Of course, is also considered to be the start of Back to the Future's new week of raking in ticket sales and growing audiences!
The Creeds surely weren't ones to miss out on that!