Man in the Mirror

[Dbz77]

Sam leaps into a motocross racer in 1980. Whom is he there to help? And how will he handle motocross racing?

Chapter 1


​

May 6, 1937

The visible flames from the giant balloon filled with hydrogen gas is actually the balloon material; the burning hydrogen gas is nearly invisible. Black smoke rises up from the burning balloon which until a half a minute ago, was lifting the airship known as the Hindenburg, which had left Frankfurt au main in Frankfurt, Germany on May 3rd, for a three day flight across the Atlantic Ocean that would take the zeppelin to Naval Air Station Lakehurst in Lakehurst, New Jersey.

The passengers had felt relief that their three-day journey in the skies above the Atlantic were about to end as they saw the grounds of the naval air station approaching.

But disaster struck, the the hydrogen lifting gas was ignited, burning the whole thing. In half a minute, twenty-seven lives had been lost, and many more people had been severely burned or otherwise injured.

Navy firefighters do their best to quench the burning flames, with vehicles already there. Navy corpsmen look for injured survivors. Their hearts are racing and they are fully alert.

Among the many witnesses who saw the Hindenburg burst into flames is an eleven-year old boy wearing trousers, a shirt, and a flat cap. He is embraced by a man wearing a uniform of a United States Navy sailor.

Unknown to the boy, or any of the other sailors in Lakehurst, the man in the uniform is not a sailor in the United States Navy.

Nor is he even a native of this time.

He is Dr. Sam Beckett, a quantum physicist from the future who had stepped into a quantum leap accelerator and began leaping from life to life, putting right what once went wrong.

He looks at the flaming bag of gas, the orange flames going up to the darkening sky.

Someone else wearing a purple outfit also watches the burning Hindenburg and the rescue efforts by Navy personnel. However, he is not really here.

Nor is he in this time.

He is observing from sixty-four years in the future!

"Looks like that's it," says Navy Admiral Al Calavicci, the principal observer for Project Quantum Leap.

"Yeah," replies the leaper, still looking at the burning wreckage. "Too bad it had to happen."

"Yeah," says the boy.

"Maybe," replies Al.

Maybe Sam could prevent that disaster in the next leap? But what if stopping it means that Hitler conquers the world? Or somehow prevents me from ever meeting Beth? And this is the third time this year Sam's leapt out of his lifetime. If only Gooshie were still here...

A blue aura surrounds Sam, unseen by anyone in this time, and he leaps out of this time.

The aura coalesces around Sam, and the leaper finds himself in a new time, new place, new life. The first thing he notices is a mound of dirt. He feels his hands around something, and he notices they are motorcycle handles.

He glances at the speedometer, recording a speed of sixty miles per hour.

He suddenly finds himself and the motorcycle he had just inadvertently "borrowed" rising high into the air.

"Oh boy!" he yells.

 

[Dbz77]

Chapter 2​

May 13, 1980

Sam Beckett feels weightless.

He feels weightless because he is on a freefall trajectory.

He glances around. It is daytime, and there are large box-like structures, and a lot of dirt, enough dirt to cover his old family farm in elk Rdige, Indiana. He feels something on his head, likely a motorcycle helmet.

He looks forward at the dirt,. He grips the handlebars.

He feels a thud as the motorcycle makes contact with the dirt. He makes a right turn and then sees a sign reading FINISH supported by two metal poles.Someone waves checkered flag.

Remembering his previous experience with motorcycles, the leaper squeezes the handle bars, causing disc brakes to clamp on the tires, dissipating the angular momentum and causing the motorcycle to slow down.

After stopping at an area of the track with some other motorcycles, Sam holds the bike by the handlebars and looks. He can see it is a Kawasaki motorcycle. He quickly finds the kickstand and extends it, allowing the bike to rest on it.

Looks like I'm back in my own lifetime.

"Standhardt!" someone calls out.

Sam looks and sees a portly man with brown hair and a gray moustache. He wears a polo shirt and jeans.

"Standhardt, can you hear me?"

Sam removes the helmet off his head. "You talking to me?"

"Yes, I am. I didn't see you hit your head."

"Uh, sure."

"You need to step up your game if you want to perform well for the race Saturday, right here in Sandusky.Your raw talent is only gonna get you so far, kid."

"Well, practice makes perfect," says Sam. "Maybe I should try another lap."

The man checks his watch. "Our times up here," he says. "You'd better go have dinner."

"And here is where I come in," says a young black man, kneeling down in front of the Kawasaki.. "Gotta take care of your bike, Ricky."

"Thanks."
"By the way, your bro's here to pick you up."

"Where?"

"Over there."

Sam sees a young man with dark brown hair, appearing to be in his early twenties. He wears a shirt and jeans.

"So you're here to pick me up?" he asks.

"Yeah," replies the young man who is apparenty the leapee's bro.

"All right then."

"Hey, Standhardt!" calls out the older man.

"Uh, what is it?" asks the leaper.

"The outfit's Team Rocket property. You gotta change."

"Right."

Sam follows the young man- clearly Team Rocket's mechanic- who is walking the Kawasaki, and reaches the garage after the mechanic sets the kickstand. Sam looks around, seeing benches and cabinets and a toolbox on a counter, the sort of stuff he would expect inside a garage.

"Uh, where do I change?" asks Sam.

"The bathroom," replies the mechanic. "This isn't exactly a state-of-the-art motocross track. Your stuff's there."

"All right," says Sam, picking up a garment bag which presumably has this Rick Standhardt's clothes." He walks into the bathroom, which is barebones with a sink and a toilet.

And no mirror. Where there should be a mirror is simply a blank discolored rectangle on the wall.

"Where's the mirror?" asks Sam.

"Chucky asked the manager to install one," says the mechanic.

"Chucky, that big man with the moustache?"

"Unless we hired someone else named Chucky, yeah. Basically he manages the team for the rich investors who want to have their own motocross team. But we know that."

And so Sam qwuickly removes the racing outfit and places on slacks and a blue shirt. He notices there is no wallet inside. He checks the zippered compartments of the motocross racing outfit with the emblem of Team Rocket, before feeling and object. Unzipping the zipper, he removes the leather wallet and puts it in his pocket.

"You ready to go?" asks Rick's brother.

"Sure," replies the leaper.

"Oh, good to see you, Walter," says Rick's brother.

"Always great to see you, Nick," replies the mechanic, before returning to inspect the motorcycle.

Sam follows the man named Nick as he walks out towards one of the access gates.

"You work for the team?" he asks.

"Oh no. Chucky and my boss are friends, and my boss is one of your investors," replies Nick. "But you should know that."

"I guess I'm just a little jittery about the upcoming race Saturday."

"Nerves," says Nick. "It's too bad no one can harness the energy of nervous bike racers. Then we won't need these smoke-belching power plants for electricity!"

"Yeah, I guess.

They reach an asphalt parking lot, where plenty of cars are parked. Sam follows Nick to a blue Ford pickup truck that looks like it dates from the early 1970's. All of the cars look like 1970's model cars.

Sam gets in the passenger seat, while Nick gets behind the steering wheel. Nick inaserts a key into the ignition and starts the truck, which rumbles to life.

Noting that the radio is off, Sam turns the knobs.

"...officials are still trying to assess the damage caused by the tornado in Kalamazoo, Michigan. There have been unconfirmed reports of deaths. In just fifteen minutes, the tornado left a path of destruc-"

Nick turns the tuning knob on the radio.

You're once, twice, three times a lady

And I love you

Yes, you're once, twice, three times a lady

And I love you

I love you

"That's more like it," says Nick.

Sam smiles.

Nick drives along streets, past some shops and restaurants and gas stations and houses, and makes a left turn at a light when the coast is clear. Soon, Nick parks the truck along a residential street lined with decidious trees whose buds had recently opened into leaves.

Sam wordlessly follows Nick out of the Ford pickup. Nick walks towards a box-shaped building and unlocks a barred metal gate. Following his leapee's brother, Sam finds what looks like an apartment courtyard, with plants. Sam walks up an interior stairwell, emerging on a balcony overlooking the courtyard. Nick unlocks a door.

Inside is a typical living room with cheap-looking furniture. A twenty-four inch Zenith color television sits on a stand. The leaper notices some magazines on a coffee table, including a magazine with a color photograph of a motorcycle rider on top of a motorcycle on a dirt track. To the right is a kitchen, separated from the living room by a counter.

"Home sweet home," Sam hears.

He looks and sees Al, the Project observer, who is wearing a bright blue jacket and blue trousers.

"Al," says Sam.

"You'll what?" asks Nick, who can neither see nor hear Al Calavicci.

"You might want to go to the bathroom," says the observer.

"I'll be going to the bathroom," says Sam, looking at Nick.

"And I'll be getting ready for my job," says Nick.

Sam walks to the back and opens the door, catching a glimpse of a sink. He walks inside and sees Nick.

The leaper is slightly confused, wondering for less than a second how Nick managed to get past him to get inside the bathroom.

He moves his hand.

The image of Nick moves his hand.

Sam is looking at a mirror, and seeing Nick behind it. He continues moving.

"You okay?"

Sam turns around and sees Nick in the hallway.

Then he turns around and sees Nick's image in the mirror.

"Isn't that a kick in the butt?" asks Al. "You're identical twins."

 

[Dbz77]

Chapter 3​

May 13, 1980

I remembered a pair of identical twin girls at Elk Ridge High School. I didn;t know them that well, though I wondered what it was like to live with someone who looks like you,. And for the past six years, for the most part I've looked like other people. But now I'm here with someone who looks like the man I see in the mirror.

"All right," says Nick Standhardt, who is wearing a black short-sleeve shirt and black slacks. "We got TV dinners in the fridge. "Another night at work. Remember when we worked at Cedar Point when we were sixteen?"

"How could I forget?" asks Sam Beckett, smiling.

"Yeah. When you work fior Cedar Point, you get to talk to people who have been waiting in line for an hour just to serve them a twenty-five cent hot dog."

Nick goes outside the door of the apartment. Sam looks around more and sits on a counch in front of a coffee table. He picks up an old- or new- TV Guide, for May 10-16, with an image of Mackenzie Phillips, Bonnie Franklin, and Valerie Bertinelli, and the cover caption "1980 Primaries: How TV Replaced the Political Bosses", Page 4. The leaper opens the TV Guide.

"Looking for some reruns?" asks Al Calavicci. "It's May 13th, in case you were wondering."

The leaper looks at the TV Guide for May 13, 1980. "I remember the Lobo show," he says. "what else do I need to know?"

The observer pulls out a multicolored rectangular electronic device that serves as a handlink to the super computer called Ziggy. "Your are Rick Standhardt, born in 1956," he says. "You live with your identical twin brother, Nick Standhardt. You are a motocross racer for Team Rocket, started a year ago in 1979. Ziggy's actually pulling up a profile on the Internet. He has quite a career for the next seven years. He even won the American Off-Road Motocross League Championship in Crestwood in Kentucky in 1982."

Sam stands up. "Okay, Rick seems to be doing okay for now, if he continues motocross for the next seven years. Was there anyone maimed or killed in a crash soon? I mean, I know that Rick- or I- will have a race on Saturday."

Al presses buttons on the handlink. "No. No crashes of that kind this year."

"then it must be something to do with Nick. I mean, why leap into his identical twin brother? Will I have to pretend to be Nick?"

A leaper pretending to be someone else pretending to be someone else. That's a first." al taps buttons on his handlink. "Ziggy pulled up an article. Nick dies of an overdose in 1991. Right here, brother of one-time motocross champ dies of overdose. July 27, 1991"

Sam sits down on the couch on a while, knowing that Nick will not be alive in his time. He then stands up. "1991. It's eleven years too early for that. I can't take over Rick's life for eleven years to keep his brother from dying of an overdose."

"You don't have to," says Al. "There's an 89% chance you can show Nick a different path so that he avoids an overdose and remains alive and healthy in my time."

"Well, Nick is off at his job, so I'll have some time to talk to you without pretending to be on the phone- or crazy."

"Yeah."

"How's Tina?"

"She's been raising three kids as a widowed mother," Al says softly. "It's only been a month since the funeral."

"When I leap home, Gooshie won't be there. I never got to say goodbye to him. If only there's something I could do to save his life."

"Cancer isn't so easily preventable."

"Yeah, I mean. Even if I were to call Gooshie today, in this time, to warn him- he'd have to be diagnosed with cancer at the right time. Too late and his fate's already sealed. Too early and the cancer isn't there to detect, and his fate will be sealed. I mean.."

Sam sits on the couch and weeps. Despite leaping around in time, he has not forgotten when Al told him Gooshie had died.

It seems so unfair that God, Time, Fate, or Whatever took Gooshie from him, from Al, from Tina, and the children.

Why? Why?

Al takes a deep breath, still; emotionally reeled from the events of the past month since Gooshie died. "I don't know if you'll ever leap into a time and person to be able to save Gooshie," he says. "I wish that would be your next leap, just before your leap home. But in this leap, you might be able to save Nick Standhardt."

Sam stays silent for a while, mentally filing away the grief over Gooshie. The leaper takes a deep breath. "If I need to change Nick's life, I need to know more about Nick."

ooooo

Sam Beckett through the apartment that Rick and Nick shared in May of 1980. The quantum physicist turned time traveler finds various things. Rick's bedroom not surprisingly has a poster of a man on a dirt bike, and there are some letters with the logo of Team Rocket.

He goes to the other bedroom, which has a bed and dressers, which is clearly Nick's bedroom. Among the things he sees is a take-out menu for a place called Benny's in downtown Sandusky. Nothing in the room indicated that Nick is someone other than a young man trying to make his way out in the world.

He looks at a wooden bookshelf in the living room. Some novels, a few books about motorcycles and other subjects.

Sam opens a large book. It is a high school yearbook for the class of 1974. The inside of the front cover had messages and signatures from Rick's and Nick's classmates, Turning some more pages, he sees color photographs of Rick Standhardt and Nick Standhardt, looking a little bit younger than they do now. He goes to the index to find out if there are any more pictures.
Looking up the pages, he sees a photo of Rick and Nick that takes up half a page. They are together, posing with a motorcycle.

"How can I change your life now to stop you from dying of an overdose eleven years from now?" asks Sam.


"Maybe you can take a step back and have a meal," says Al. "Nick said there were TV dinners in the fridge."

"I haven;t eaten in a while."

Sam opens the upper door of the refrigerator-freezer. His face kissed with freezing cold air, he removes a box with a 16-ounce Swanson Hungry Man Salisbury steak dinner. He follows the printed instructions to cook the meal inside the oven in the kitchen.

"Frozen meals," says Al. "I had those when I lived alone in the early '60's. Which reminds me, I'll go back for lunch."

the observer presses a few buttons on the handlink, which reveals a white rectangle. Al steps into the rectangle, and out of the imaging chamber.

Over half an hour later, Sam sits at the small dining table eats the Salisbury steak, savoring the gravy, as well as the mashed potatoes and the green beans. In six years of quantum leaping, just being able to eat a meal in peace is a luxury.

He looks at a clock. Turning on the television, he turns the knob to change the channel to 3.

Soon, the Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo is on. Sam relaxes for a while, just watching early 1980's television and laughing. It feels almost like home.

He looks at a clock mounted on the wall. Sam decides to search Nick's room a second time. He opens desk and drawers, looking for something.

And then he finds a notebook, similar to those Sam had once used while attending Elk Ridge High School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

There are handwritten words written in pencil. Sam reads it.

What Nick had written is not notes from high school or college.

What Nick had written were jokes, such as a kind one would tell at a comedy club.

The thought stirs up some of the leaper's memories.

He looks around and sees a piece of paper.

Picking it up, he reads it, finding it advertised a stand-up comedy contest at the Bay Club on May 21, 1979, advertising a grand prize of $800.00

Did Nick try to become a stand-up comic?

The leaper walks to a bookshelf. Just by looking at the titles on the binders, some of the books are of those of famous stand-up comics. There is a book on Mort Sahl, and another book about Andy Kaufman.

Will Nick become a stand-up comic, a celebrity? Is that how he got into drugs?

Sam yawns, knowing it is time to go to bed.

Ooooooo

May 14, 1980

Sam Beckett wakes up, just having Kellogg's Rice Krispies and water for breakfast. It is a facsimile of a normal, typical existence; the leaper has had more unconventional experiences in his six years of leaping around in time.

Nick Standhardt also has breakfast, with orange juice along with the water and the cereal.

"You know, I read your jokes last night," says Sam.

"Did you like them?"

"I think they were hilarious."

"Of course you'd say that," says Nick. "You're my twin."

"I saw that flyer for the contest at the club last year," says Sam. "How did you do?"

Nick stays silent for a few seconds, trying go remember about what the man that looks like him said to him. "Oh that? I didn't go. Had other business."

"Yeah, that happens. Were you thinking of being a stand-up comic?"

"I still do, sometimes," says Nick. "But there's so much competition. What if people don't think I'm good enough."

"That's probably what Andy Kaufman thought the first time he went on stage."

"Well, at least you don't have to wake up that early today. You get to miss the joy of the crowded streets of Sandsusky. Remember the time when we worked at Cedar Point and had to wake up really, really early in the summer just so it can look half-clean when the first guests arrived? You get to show up at the track at 10, and I get to show up at Benny's at 1."

Al Calavicci appears in the twins' living room, and Sam looks at him.

"I need to make a phone call," says Sam. "Work-related."

"Okay," says Nick.

Sam goes into Rick's bedroom and picks up the telephone handset.

"I need to ask you, does Nick Standhardt have a career as a stand-up comic?" he asks.

A little surprised by the seemingly random question, the observer punches a few buttons on the handlink. "No," he says. "No record of Nick Standhardt having any sort of career as a stand-up comic."

"So he doesn't become a celebrity. Maybe that's why I'm here, Al. Nick is afraid to seek a career in stand-up comedy because he's afraid people will think he's no good."

"there is something I need to tell you, Sam. Ziggy says there's an even chance you'll actually have to race in the qualification on Saturday. You need to do well enough. If you don't, Rick might not win the championship in 1982 like he's supposed to. I'll meet you at the track."

Al disappears, and Sam immediately gets dressed, changing from pajamas to Levi's jeans and a collared shirt.

After getting dressed, he follows Nick out of the apartment, downstairs, and out of the complex to the Ford pickup truck parked along the curb. Sam gets in the passenger seat, and Nick gets into the driver's seat and starts the truck. Nick puts the vehicle and gear, depresses the gas pedal, and pulls the truck away from the curb.

"Remember what we were talking about earlier?" asks Sam.

"Oh, about me being a stand-up comic. I know you and our friends think I'm a funny guy."

"Yeah, I know," says Sam, glancing out at the street scene. "Different people have different tastes, and there's a lot of competition. But sometimes, you just have to take the leap, you know."

"Take the leap?"

"Yeah, I mean that's how you find out how far you go. And what would you have to lose, anyway?"

"Maybe," says Nick, concentrating on the road and the other cars. "We should be there in less than five minutes."

Sam takes a look around at the surroundings of the Sandusky area circa 1980. It is not long before he sees a sign for the motocross racetrack, rising about thirty-feet from the ground.

Nick parks the car next to a gate on the fence.

"Okay," he says. "I have to work at Benny's at one o'clock. You okay to get home after practice?"

"Uh, sure," says Sam, opening the right-side door.

"I guess you're ridin' with strangers. Maybe you'll meet a pretty girl on the bus."

After Sam steps off and closes the door, Nick drives the Ford pickup truck away.

He looks and sees Al and the entrance gate. Al walks through the closed gate, appearing as a hologram in 1980.

"You got to sharpen your skills in case you have to race in the qualifying on Saturday," says the observer.

Sam opens the gate. "Yeah," replies the leaper. He and Al walks around the outer perimeter wall of the motocross course.

"You know, this place shut down in '89. In my time, this is a shopping center with an AMC theater, a Wal-Mart, some restaurants, and some specialty stores."

Soon they reach the garage that serves as Team Rocket's home base. Walter, the mechanic Sam met yesterday, is looking over the Kawasaki motorcycle.

"got to make sure the bike's in the best shape," says the mechanic.

"Standhardt," calls out Chucky. "time to get into gear and start hitting the road- I mean, dirt."

"Sure," replies Sam, picking up the garment bag holding the racing outfit. He goes into the bathroom- which still does not have a mirror- and removes his- Rick's- regular clothes and dons the racing outfit, making sure the zippers are all zipped up. Holding the helmet, he walks to the dirt bike, sits on toop, and puts on the helmet.

"Remember your time with a motorcycle?" asks Al.

"I was riding on solid asphalt," says Sam.

"Here, it's about riding on the dirt," says Walter.

Sam turns the handlebars to rev the two-stroke single engine, causing the tires to rotate and push back against the ground and the bike forward. He soon reaches the starting line of the course.

He glances at Chucky, who holds a pistol.

Chucky fires the pistol.

And Sam turns the handlebar throttles and kicks up dirt.

It definitely feels different form asphalt.

He revs the engine and the Kawasaki flies up in mid-air.

The leaper sees the dirt fast approaching.

The tires make contact.

And the cycle starts sliding, and Sam slides acorss the dirt, getting dirt on his uniform.

Al appears before Sam. "Are you all right?" asks the observer with a raised voice.

The leaper stands up. "I think I'm fine, Al." Sam sees Chucky in the distance and waves, before getting on the Kawasaki and continuing to ride.

Oooooo

After a few hours, Sam is done. He brings the motorcycle to the garage. Walter stands by.

"Standhardt," says Chucky, "your performance has been a bit lackluster."

"Uh, well, sir, I was getting reacquainted with the basics," replies Sam. "I mean, we need a solid foundations."

"I get that you need to," replies the Team Rocket manager. "But you need to step up your game fast. Today's Wednesday, and you have two more days of practice until the qualifying on Saturday."

Sam is still thinking of the upcoming race as he sits on a seat on a bus. He had checked out a map of the transit system. After waiting a good while at another bus stop, he takes another bus, staying on board for maybe seven minutes or so, before reaching the bus stop closest to the Standhardt twins' apartment.

It is not long before Sam reaches the apartment. His thoughts are on the twins. He had leaped to change Nick's life for the better, but he has the added complication of avoiding changing Rick's life for the worse.

I have practice tomorrow.

He looks again at Nick's room, reading the rough draft of the stand-up routines Nick had written. He then looks at the light green piece of paper that had advertised the Comedy Contest in the Bay Club last year.

Taking the paper, Sam walks to the kitchen where there is a rotary telephone hanging on the wall.

The leaper picks up the receiver, and puts his finger into the dial, and starts rotating it.

 

[Dbz77]

Chapter 4​

May 14, 1980

The front window revealing that it was established in 1968, Benny's is a bar and grill. It has a varnished wooden floor and varnished tables. Including a whole assortment of beers, the establishment serves all sorts of food from appetizers like mozzarella sticks and onion rings and french fries to sandwiches like hamburgers and pastrami and chicken to entrees like steak and tilapia and fried shrimp.

Having endured a half-hour on two buses, the last one having a poster on the side with the iconic image of Darth Vader and the caption "He Strikes Back May 21", Sam Beckett, appearing to be Rick Standhardt, enters the main room.

"You came back," says a middle-aged man nursing a beer.

A young woman with auburn hair approaches the leaper.

"Rick," she says.

"You know where Nick is? Is he still working?"

"We let a whole bunch of us off early," replies the waitress. "It's far from packed, as you can see."

Sam looks around. There is a wide selection of seats and stools to sit on. "You know where my brother is?"

"A couple of them decided to go to the other bars for a little after-work gathering."

"Thanks."

"You sure you don't want to stay for a drink?"

"Maybe later."

Sam heads out. There are only a few people walking along the sidewalk. The street is lined with stores and restaurants and bars. Some of the buildings have second floors with offices that are leased to businesses. He enters the bars, trying to find Nick.

After about fifteen minutes, he enters a bar.

"Am I seeing double?" asks a raven-haired barmaid. "Hey Rick!"

"My brother here?" asks Sam.

"Rick," says Nick Standhardt, standing up with a bottle of Miller High Life in his hand. "How was practice?"

"Revisiting the basics," answers the leaper. He looks around the place. It is dark, with two pool tables and a pinball machine presently being used by an overweight man. "Listen, I've got to talk to you."

"The other twin is here!" exclaims a woman whose blond hair is tied in a ponytail.

"Yeah," says Sam, approaching the table where she and some others are sitting.

"You having a drink?" asks a young man with light brown hair.

"Not really."

"We were just talking," says the woman. "Scott's coming back."

"Who?" asks Sam.

"Scott Archer," says Nick. "Graduated high school a year before we did. Went to West Point. He's a lieutenant in the Army. He's on leave and is coming back to visit his folks here in Sandusky next week."

"That's great," says Sam.

"I'm guessing they're going to Cedar Point," says the young man.

"I'd like to talk to my brother."

"You can say it," says Nick. "Right here."

Sam takes the notebook with the jokes Nick wrote. "You were writing jokes for a stand-up comedy routine," he says. "You want to be a stand-up comic."

"That was my dream in high school," says Nick. "Reality set in."

"Wait," protests the leaper. "You might have a chance. I called the Bay Club after I finished practicing. They are having a contest on Saturday. Registration closes tomorrow."

"That will be interesting," says the woman.

"i was thinking, why not take the leap?" asks Sam. "Your material is good. And the grand prize is one thousand dollars."

"That is more than enough to pay for three months' rent," says Nick. "and our contract only allows rent increases to take effect on January 1st. A perfect present from a landlord. You get the gift of paying more rent. Happy New Year!"

"Say that to an audience. You can even write it in your notebook. Why not join the contest?"

"I have other things."

"Not work, though," says the woman with blond hair. "You're not on the schedule for Benny's on Saturday."

"Yeah, the boss gave you the day off to go to Rick's motorcycle race. You're working three lunch shifts in a row next week in exchange."

"Saturday's free, so why not go on stage and pursue your dream," asks Sam.

"What if they don't like me?" asks Nick.

"Come on."

"Let's talk about something else."

"Uh, okay," says the young man with light brown hair.

"Maybe you have some stories," says Sam.

And Sam learns more about Nick's and Rick's life as he chats with the others.

Then after an hour, they say their goodbyes. Sam and Nick head outside. The sky above them is a light lavender, as the sun is setting. They soon reach a parking lot just off the street. They see the blue Ford pickup truck.

"I can drive," says Sam. "I only had one beer."

Sam gets behind the whlel and fastens his seat belt. After Nick sits in the passenger seat, Sam starts the Ford and soon drives along the streets of Sandusky.

It is not long before Sam parks the truck on the street near the apartment complex.

"I was wondering," says Sam. "you registered at the Bay Club for the comedy contest last year. Why didn't you attend?"

"Other things to do. Had to work that night?"

"Well, yeah."

"But you must have asked for the day off and gotten it before you registered."

"Well, I worked that night anyway."

Sam looks right at Nick's eyes for a second. "Tell me," he says. "did you volunteer to work that night?"

Nick looks a the man who looks like his identical twin brother, seeing a version of himself. "Yes, I did. I remember. I called around lunchtime, before telling the club I couldn't make it."

"And you've had regrets?"

"Yeah, a little."

Sam takes a deep breath. "You'll never know how you would have done a year ago. But you can take the leap. Registration closes tomorrow. I mean, I took the leap."

"You always have. I mean, I was the first out into the world, you know. You always took the initiative.
between the two of us. I remember when you told me you were going to try to be a motocross racer. I've seen you out there on the circuits. You even took first place once or twice.

"And when I look at you, it reflects on me. You shine brighter, and I feel dimmer. You just sat on the motorcycle and drove."

"You know, Nick," says Sam, "the first time I was on a motorcycle, I wiped out. I was scared."

"I remember. We were fifteen. You got a scar on your right hand."

Sam suddenly grabs Nick's right hand, not seeing the trace of any scar. He then steps out of the pickuop truck to look at the driver's side mirror. He sees a face that looks like Nick's, and the holds up his right hand.

Even in the dimming sunlight, the scar on Rick's right hand is visible, forming some sort of U-shape along the side of the palm opposite the thumb.

"You had to get stitches then and a few doses of antibiotics!"' says Nick, stepping out of the truck. Your right hand was in bandages for a month! Mom and Dad were so worried. You once said your skin had actually peeled off."

"I guess so."

"After all these years, I guess I could actually laugh about that. But you didn't quit motorcycles. You had your accident on a flat dirt driveway. And now you leap into the air."

"That's right," says Sam. "I've had rough days." he briefly thinks about his last six years of leaping in time. "But taking that leap, no regrets. So you can register for that contest and be there. Don't worry about how good the competition is. Just worry about being the best that you can be."

Nick smiles. "Okay, but just one thing,. Could you sign in for me?"

"What?' asks Sam. "why can't you do it?"

"Please?"

The leaper stays wordless for a second. "Okay," he says. "But only this once. I've had enough of pretending to be other people."

ooooooo

May 15, 1980

Quantum leaping through time the past six years, I've done many things

Sam is inside a large room. The room has a stage for performers, as well as a bar for serving alcoholic beverages. The room is empty save for a table with a woman sitting behind it.

"Hi there," says Sam, walking up to the table.

"You're here to register for the contest on Saturday?"

"Yeah."

"Today's the last day. What's yer name?'

"R-I mean, Nick Standhardt."

"Name, address, phone number here."

The leaper concentrates as he fills in Nick's information on a printed form, some of it provided by Al. It takes him a good four minutes to fill out the information.

"Took you long enough," says the woman.

"It has been a stressful day."

"Ziggy says there's only a twenty percent chance that Nick will even be get third place in this contest," says Al.

Sam glances at the woman. "I think to just be there on stage will be enough," he says.

"The first step to success is showing up," she replies. "That's what my daddy said."

"there's a possibility something went wrong here," says Al. "You might have really leaped here eleven years too early."

"Is there a pay phone I can use?" asks Sam.

"Over there," says the woman, pointing her finger.

Sam walks across the room to reach the pay phones at an alcove, right where the entrances to the restrooms are. Sam picks up a handset.

"Eleven years too early?" asks the leaper.

"Nick died of a drug overdose in '91," replies the observer. "Ziggy says that there's a 90% chance something went wrong and you leaped in too early to be able to do anything about Nick's fate now."

"So what?" I spend eleven years as Rick Standhardt? And what about Rick? Is he supposed to stay in Project Quantum Leap for eleven years? Are we going to tell him, sorry, but you have to stay eleven years in the future? And what if he dies in the future? I might be trapped here, or even be lost in time forever."

Al punches buttons on the handlink. "Well, there's a 60% chance that you'll be able to save Nick from his fate within the next seven years. You won;t actually have to wait eleven years just to dial 911 a few minutes early."

"Still too long. How will this affect Rick's life? I can;'t become as good in motocross racing as he is. My being here might keep Rick from winning the '82 championship like he's supposed to."

"You definitely showed improvement at the track earlier today."

"Chucky said it won;'t cut it. And even if I go on and win the '82 championship in Rick's name, I would still be taking that from him.

"I think what will show Nick a new path is being on that stage Saturday night. He chickened out last year. Facing an audience will give him a new perspective."

"All right," says Al. "But you still gotta get better at riding those dirt bikes."

"Yeah, I have practice tomorrow."

oooooo

May 16, 1980

Sam Beckett is focused.

His heart beats at a steady pace.

He revs the Kawasaki KX125 motorcycle and it goes up the dirt ramp and goes into the air for a second. Sam looks below, keeping the front wheel straight, and then lands on the dirt.

He continues forward to take the turn. Sam shifts his body weight forward. He continues along the track, and approaches the finish line as a flagger waves a flag.

Sam squeezes the brakes and comes to a stop. He gets off the track, and sees Chucky and the others on Team Rocket waiting for him.

"You'd better take a break," says Chucky. "You're doing better."

"Thanks," replies the leaper turned temporary motocross racer.

"But you'll be competing in the qualifying tomorrow against other racers."

"I'd better take a look at the bike," says Walter in his gray overalls, holding a toolbox.

I've got to hone my skills so Rick will still have his chance. I wonder how Nick is doing.

Oooooo

Nick stands in the living room of his apartment. He reads the jokes that he had refined over the past five years, some of them rewrites of jokes and routines he came up with in his freshman year of high school.

He glances at a clock. He has two hours available before having to leave for Benny's.

He looks at the front door.

"Okay," says Nick. "A man walks into a coffeeshop... Okay, a man walks into a coffeeshop. It's not coming out right. Wait, I have to relax. Think about hanging out with our friends. Pretend they're here. All right, a man walks into a coffeeshop..."

And so Nick continues to practice delivery of his jokes and routines.

Ooooooooo

Sam crosses the finish line and then moves the Kawasaki to the pit area, where Chucky, Walter, and the other team members are waiting.

"You definitely improved, Sam," says Al, who had been watching.

"Great job, Standhardt" says Chucky. "Tomorrow, you won't be zipping around this dirt track to impress my big mouth. You'll be up against racers form the other teams, as far east as the Atlantic coast."

"Well, I've been in stressful situations," replies Sam.

"I know stressful. I was fightin' Chinese volunteers at the Chosin Reservoir in Korea."

"I can only imagine."

"I suppose you and your brother were lucky to have missed 'Nam. Your dad was also in the Chosin Reservoir. Why am I tellin' war stories anyway? Best not to party hard Friday night. Get some rest."

"I'll take care of the bike," says Walter, holding the Kawasaki's handlebars.

"Maybe I can watch," says Sam.

Oooooooo

Battery Park is located on the shore of Lake Eerie. The park grounds are covered in grass. Nearby is a marina with various types of watercraft. The Cedar Point amusement park is visible in the distance.

Nick Standhardt is practicing in the park with a few friends.

"Yes, my wife," Nick finishes, and his friends laugh.

"You need to work on the delivery," says the blond-haired woman named Laurel.

"I have to agree," by Al, who is unseen by the others except for Sam.

"The other contestants were probably practicing for weeks, and I only started yesterday."

"Your can't control how good the others in the contest are," says Sam. "Focus on yourself. Focus on making your audience happy."

"Yeah," says a young man named Phil. "I mean, you've written jokes since junior high. You've been practicing far longer, my friend."

Nick looks up at the sky, starting to turn purple. He can see the moon, the shadow hiding much of it so it appears to be a crescent shape. "I once said how I feel diminished because other people shine so bright," he says. "The moon has no light of its own, but it reflects the sun's light, guiding people at night. Maybe that's what I should do."

"That's actually clever," says Al.

"Was that another routine?" asks Laurel.

"No," replies Nick. "But we may have time for one more. A sailor boards a submarine for the first time..."

 

[Dbz77]

Chapter 5​

May 17, 1980

"So your bro's gonna be racing here," says an Army lieutenant named Scott Archer.

"Yup," replies Nick Standhardt as he and his friends walk on a concrete pathway outside the track.

"It;'s for the qualifications for the race tomorrow," says the auburn-haired waitress from Benny's whose name is Maci. "I can;t go tomorrow since I have the brunch shift."

"And I'm going with my parents and sister to Cedar Point tomorrow," says Scott.

"Well, tonight, Nick here's gonna be a comedian," says Phil.

"Really?" asks the Army lieutenant, who is wearing jeans and a T-shirt instead of a uniform.

"There's a contest at this club near the bay," says Nick. "I even brought my jokes with me so I could practice my lines for tonight."

"We do have our own challenges," says Scott, reflecting on his years at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

"Come on, let's get a seat," says Laurel.

They all go to the stands, which are basically bleachers with aluminum benches. They easily find a place to sit, as qualifyings typically do not draw as many crowds as the actual race on Sunday. Nick and the others can clearly see the motorcycles racing around.

He looks at his watch. It is 10 am, half an hour before the qualifying.

Oooooooo

Inside the garage for Team Rocket, Walter goes over every square inch of the Kawasaki KX125 off-road motorcycle, especially its two-stroke engine. He briefly reflects. Being a mechanic for Team, Rocket has been an interesting experience, having to check the same vehicles multiple times a day, and traveling all around the U.S.

Unknown to this mechanic, a hologram is projected to this garage from twenty-one years in the future, and the man behind the hologram is talking to the man who appears to the people of this time as Rick Standhardt.

The mirror had finally been installed in the bathroom by the track's owners, and Sam Beckett sees the image of Rick Standhardt in the mirror, wearing the racing outfit with various logos, including the Team Rocket logo.

"Better get ready, Sam," says Al Calavicci.

Looking at Rick, Sam takes a deep breath. He heads out.

"Bike's as ready as it will ever be," says Walter.

"So am I."

"Then get to it," says Chucky.

Sam places the helmet on his head. He turns the handlebar throttles, and the engine roars. He slowly idles the bike to the starting line.

He can see the other racers, all wearing similar clothes as he is. He can hear the rumbling of the dirt bike engines, muffled as they are through his helmet.

He had learned the rules. He will have to race around the track for an hour.

The observer appears next to him. "Just focus on staying on the track," he says. "If you can pass, pass. Otherwise, just keep going."

"Got it," replies the leaper.

Sam and the others revv their engines.

The flagman waves the green flag.

The qualifying session begins.

Some of the motorcycles pass right through Al's hologram!

"And they are off!" exclaims the announcer.

Sam focuses on the track ahead and the other bikes. His mind closes off everything else.

Just the bikes, just the track.

He hits the first ramp and flies into the other, and he observes two bikes ahead of him landing and continuing before he does the same.

His mind focuses on the relative movement of the drivers and the track ahead. Soon, Sam crosses the finish line and starts his second lap.

Al is projected at the box right next to the starting line, where the team managers are seated to watch their racers.

"One perk of Project Quantum Leap," says the observer, watching the dirt bikes pass by, kicking up clouds of dirt. "You can get the best seats."

Al watches the bikes race around the track.

So does Nick and company.

So does Chucky.

Sam has been racing around. He crosses the finish line another time.

He remains focused.

I just have to do my best, for Rick and for Nick.

Just as the Kawasaki rises into the air, the leaper notices the motorcycle ahead of him sliding on its side on the dirt, leaving behind a cloud of dust.

Time seems to slow down for the leaper.

He sends the right nerve signals to his arm muscles.

He steers towards the left.

He barely misses the fallen dirt bike.

Flagmen in stands wave yellow caution flag.

He eases the throttle, slowing down, knowing that he is not allowed the pass the other cyclists.

Racing depends a lot on luck.

He passes the finish line once.

Al looks on, relieved that Sam was not the one who fell on the track.

"Carey is all right" exclaims the race announcer. "He is getting up."

The race originally did not report any serious injuries, though Al had concerns that Sam racing in Rick Standhardt's place could change things.

He then sees the flagmen waving green flags.

Sam sees this too, and increases the throttle on the straightway.

Nick looks on at motorcycles.

Al looks towards the stands. He might have a good view, but he wishes he could go to the stands and actually buy one of the hot dogs.

Such is the disadvantage of being the observer instead of the leaper...

Al had been a leaper more than once, the only one who actually leaped back home.

"And here we are," says the announcer. "The time has run out and this is the last lap of the qualifying session."

Sam passes the finish line. He heard that the race is about over.

Just one more lap.

His heart races.

For you, Rick. For you, Nick.

He focuses on the dirt track and the other cycles.

He sees the finish line, barely noticing the flash of black and white in the periphery of his vision.

And then Sam Beckett, appearing as Rick Standhardt, crosses the finish line.

"It's over," says Nick Standhardt, sitting In the stands.

Sam gets off the bike. Soon, he is off the course; Chucky and the others of Team Rocket greeting him.

"You did good," Chucky says to the leaper turned motocross racer.

"Thanks," replies Sam.

Ooooooooo

An hour later, Sam is at a table in the concourse Behind him is a poster of Rick Standhardt in a motorcycle racing outfit, with Rick holding his helmet. He signs autographs for the guests at then race track. Sam just smiles, relaxing.

He had heard Rick will go on to the race tomorrow. He hopes he can leap out so Rick can be the one racing and be on course to win the championship in 1982.

"You were great," says Nick, approaching the table, a partially eaten seventy-five cent hot dog in one hand.

"Thanks," replies Sam, smiling.

"Yeah. I can't stay too long here. I gotta get home to practice my comedy routine for tonight."

"If you can perform half as well at the club as your brother did today, you'/ll be okay," says Chucky.

"Thanks," says Nick.

"Look mommy," says a seven-year-old girl in a little yellow dress. "that man looks like the other man at the table."

Nick looks at the woman holding the girls hand. "We get that a lot," he says to her and her daughter.

Ooooo

Nick looks at himself in the mirror, wearing a black jacket over a white shirt. A red necktie is tied around his collar.

"I haven't worn this since my interview at Benny's," he says. "I thought I wouldn't have to wear it until Maci's wedding in September."

"You look great, Nick," says Sam, who is dressed similarly as Nick, except with a blue necktie.

Nick looks at his watch. "We'd better get going," he says.

Sam takes one peek at Rick in the mirror before he leaves.

 

[Dbz77]

Chapter 6​

May 17, 1980

I was born the son of a lawless man
Always spoke my mind with a gun in my hand
Lived nine lives
Gunned down ten
Gonna ride like the wind
And I've got such a long way to go
(Such a long way to go)
To make it to the border of Mexico
So I ride like the wind, ride like the wind
Gonna ride like the wind


Located by Castaway Bay on Lake Eerie, just off U.S. Highway 6, the Bay Club often hosts shows ranging from music concerts to comedy routines. As the sky turns purple as day fades into night, several people, all sharply dressed, go inside a cordoned-off section club to meet with management and prepare for the comedy contest starting at 7:30.

Nick Standhardt is among the comedies, looking at some papers contains summaries of the routines that he intends to perform on the Bay Club's main stage.

He can see nervousness in the faces of the other comedian-contestants.

In the main room, which is dimly lit, Sam Beckett sits with some friends of Nick and Rick Standhardt. Also here is Chuck, the manager of Team Rocket, and Walter, the mechanic, both of them wearing sharp outfits like the others sitting around the wooden table.

And Al Calavicci is projected by the Imaging Chamber into the Bay Club, near Sam's table. The observer wears a light blue jacket, blue trousers, a white ruffled shirt, and a red bowtie. Polished black shoes cover his feet.

He and Sam listen to the conversations among the Standhardt twins' friends.

And then a man in a black jacket and black trousers walks onto the main stage of the Bay Club. A spotlight shines on him.

"Hello, my friends," he says. "Welcome to the Bay Club. How are you all doing?"

"Great," answers Al, though the host of course can neither see nor hear him.

"The Bay Club has been gracious enough to let us host this contest. We had fifteen people sign up for our amateur comedy contest. We have a panel of professionals who will judge them, and some headhunters may be in here- not those kind of headhunters. The contestants and the rest of us will keep our heads- I hope."

There are some laughs from the people inside.

"The contestants will be picked at random," says the host. He looks towards a table with three men sitting there. "Each contestant will have seven minutes to make you laugh your heart out. Now, if we can select the first contestant."

One of the finely-dressed men turn this cylindrical object and pulls out a piece of paper. He gives the slip to the host.

"We are now proud to announce our first contestant, Morton Wendell from the little village of Castalia!"

People clap as a young man with sandy brown hair walks up to the stage. Nick, standing in the rear, watches on.

"Hi there," says Morton. "Name's Morton. I come from this little village called Castalia, just about a ten minute drive from here. Now, it;'s a small village, and some of you may think it hasn't that much for entertainment, unlike here in Sandusky, let alone Cleveland. But here are the top five entertainment options in Castalia. Number five..."

Nick watches the other contestants from the stage, and Sam and Nick's friends watch from their table. The room has laughter. The panel of judges select contestants at random.

"...doing fifty in a twenty zone..."

"...I could see the full moon on a clear night. How far is that?"

"....I don't bleed down there, I just need these for earplugs..."

"...that's not a girl cow you're milkin'..."

"...what a wonderful birthday present..."

"He was being escorted to the electric chair..."

"...and now we have an actor wanting to play the President..."

"What do you think?" asks Sam.

"Uh, okay, I guess," says Scott Archer,m who is wearing his green Army service uniform with the rank insignia and service ribbons.

"I've seen better," says Al. "I remember going to this comedy club in San Diego when I was stationed at North Island. Had a laugh."

"Thank you," says the host as another contestant walks off the stage.

A judge cranks a cylinder.

Sam and the others watch, wondering if Nick will be picked.

"And now, our next contestant is Dwayne Parmer from Fremont, Ohio," says the host.

"Dwayne Parmer?" asks Al, his eyes widening.

"Who's Dwayne Parmer?" asks Sam.

"The next contestant," replies Maci. "That's who he said."

A bald black man, wearing a black jacket, black trousers, a purple shirt, and a yellow necktie steps on the stage, He appears to be in his mid-twenties.

"That's Dwayne Parmer!" exclaims Al. "Sam, he's a famous comedian. He did some live shows all over the U.S. And Canada, he appeared on Saturday Night Live and some movies, and in my time he has his own sitcom on the USA Network; it premiered in '97! Beth and I watch it all the time! This club was where he was discovered, I bet. I'm watching history. I wish Beth could see this!

"Nick has some really stiff competition. I'll be on stage with him."

the Chamber projects Al right on stage, next to Dwayne Parmer. The observer has a huge grin on his face. He waves his hand through the hologram of Dwayne Parmer.

Sam looks at Al and the comedian contestant.

"Hi there, Sandusky," says Dwayne. "Name's Dwayne Parmer. That's Parmer with a P. It was supposed to be Farmer, but our patriarch way back then slipped his pen whole writing his family name and it's been Parmer ever since."

The room is filled with laughter.

"And let me tell you something about inflation,": continues Dwayne. "Money is losing its value. I mean, I heard that last year the prize was $800.00. And now it's a thousand, but it won't buy as much as eight hundred did in '79. By the year 2000, the prize for winning this contest is a cool million dollars, which will buy you groceries for a week!"

The room fills with more laughter. And Dwayne continues his comedy routine.

Al is clearly enjoying himself, being projected on stage.

Sam looks on. Dwayne Parmer clearly has charisma, and must have had it back in this time if he becomes a successful celebrity in Al's time.

"...been to the airport..."

...sends its astronauts to ride the roller coasters at Cedar Point..."

"..he goes about picking beans..."

Al laughs. He remembers some of the jokes Dwayne is telling in this time.

"Okay, let me conclude with this," says Dwayne. "i remember how in the '60's, some black people burned down their own 'hoods 'cause of injustice. Burning down your own 'hood? I mean, these KKK and these Nazis, they don;'t burn down their own 'hoods 'cause they have to share a bus with a black man. These people were burnin' down black neighborhoods, and the KKK and the Nazis were just sitting back laughing their asses off! I mean, if the KKK and the Nazis were paying them to hurt other black people, what would they do differently?"

The room is filled with laughter, including loud laughter from Sam.

"All right, my time is up," concludes Dwayne. "Thank you for your time."

Backstage Nick is still snickering over Dwayne's comedy routine.

"Carl Shepard," says the host. "Is Carl Shepard here?"

A man approaches the host and whispers.

"It seems Carl Shepard dropped out!" exclaims the host. "Oh well. The competition for the grand prize is fierce. We will continue."

One of the judges hands the host a slip of paper.

"Our next contestant is Nick Standhardt!" exclaims.

Sam and the others at the table stand up.

Nick looks towards the main room.

"Don;t chicken out, Nick," says Al.

Nick takes a deep breath.

And then he walks towards the microphone on the stand.


"Uh, hi there," he says.Nick looks at his friends, and the leaper disguised as his twin brother. "I..I'm feeling nervous."

There is silence, from him and the audience. Even Dwayne Parmer has a look of worry on his face.

"I'm nervous. This is the first time I did comedy in front of an audience, in a contest. I'm so nervous, that ...that if it were electricity, it could power the whole Great Lakes region. I mean, imagine if you could invent a way to turn people;'s anxiety and nervousness into an energy source. Then you'd be the richest human that ever lived, richer than any emperor of Rome, richer than Rockefeller and Carnegie and Henry Ford ever were!

"Now, let me tell you about rent. Rents have been rising here in Sandusky. The contract my brother and I have with our landlord states that rent increases only taken effect on New Year's Day. So every New Year's Day, we get a New Year's present from our landlord. Hey, Nick and Rick, you get to pay more rent per month. Happy New Year!"

There is laughter from the audience.

"And you heard of this new fad called video games?" continues Nick. "You plug this box into your TV, and by moving a joystick, you get to move images on the screen. These Hollywood producers just want to make a profit,. Now they expect you to make the pictures move for them!"

There is some laughter.

"A sailor boards a submarine for the first time..."

Nick continues his routine. There is muted laughter.

But then, as he continues his comedy routine the laughter intensifies.

Both Sam and Al notice this.

And he continues, and the laughter keeps getting more intense.

"..that's my daughter!" exclaims Nick.

The whole main room bursts with laughter.

"Okay, okay," says Nick. "I have less than a minute left. I now you've laughed at my jokes and the others' jokes. But you know, laughter's not a limited resource, like oil or wood or steel. There's no quota that limits how much we can laugh. There are three contestants after me, I think., Listen to them. And let them tickle your souls. Thank you."

Sam and al and everyone else in the room claps.

A minute later, the next contestant appears to start her comedy routine.

Oooooo

"All right," says the host, the spotlight shining on him. "I hope you enjoyed these comedy skits. But the judges have made their decisions and are going to announce the winners."

Sam, Al, Nick and the others look on.

"Our third place prize is a 50% coupon off any entree, right here in the Bay Club!" continues the host. He holds up a card. "Third place goes to..."= there is a sound of a drum roll-"..Melody Mitchell!"

A woman in a blue dress, with her blond-hair tied in a ponytail, walks up to the stage, and the spotlight is shone on her,. She waves and smiles.

"Thank you," she says.

"We hope you enjoy a meal here," says the host.

"At least I won't have to cook," says Melody.

"Now let;'s announce second place. The prize is 25% off tickets for four at Cedar Point, right here in Sandusky. And our second place winner is.."-a drum roll sound plays over the speakers-"...Connor Tucker!"

A young man with dark brown hair and a dark brown beard approaches the stage, shaking the hand of the host."

"Haven;t been to Cedar Point in a while," he says. "I'll definitely be going this summer."

the host looks at the audience. "and now for the grand prize," he says. "One thousand dollars, cash. And our first place winner here..."

A much more extravagant drum roll sound Is played.

Sam and Al and the others at the table all look on.

Nick is focused.

His heart races.

His plans are sweaty.

"..by unanimous decision, first place goes to...

"...Dwayne Parmer!"

"I knew it!" exclaims Al, a big grin on his face.

Dwayne steps onto the stage, illuminated by the spotlight. Everyone is the room applauds.

"than k you, Thank you," he says. "I want to thank you and the judges.

"and I want to thank the others here. You were funny, I even had a few laughs. Yes, there is only one first place,. But we all lift each other up."

"He's right," says Sam, thinking about his six years of leaping. "We do lift each other up."

Nick taps Dwayne on the shoulder.

"Yes?' he asks.

"Congratulations," says Nick, extending his right hand. "You deserve it."

"Thank you," replies Dwayne, shaking his hand.

"You're welcome."

"We all thank you for your time here," says the host.

Nick walks to the main room and stands by his friends and Sam.

"You did good," says Sam.

"Yeah," adds Chucky. "You had me laughing."

Al looks up.

"I was laughing, Gooshie!" he exclaims. "Don't worry about us! I can laugh. Beth and I will be fine!"

oooooo

We were scared this affair
Would lead our love into
Somethin' happened along the way
Yesterday was all we had
Somethin' happened along the way
What used to be happy is sad
Somethin' happened along the way
And yesterday was all we had
And oh, after the love has gone
How could you lead me on
And not let me stay around?
Oh, oh, oh after the love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love that's lost be found?


Just an hour later, Nick and his friends are at Benny's, deciding to go to a place they all feel comfortable for a round of drinks and some mozzarella cheesesticks and cheesy-bacon fries. Sam Beckett is still here in 1980, wondering why he has not leaped out.

"You know," says Al, "this place is still open in my time. I should take Beth here sometime."

"Al," says Sam. He looks at Nick and the others, and glances towards a pay phone which is currently being used by a young lady. "I'll go to the restroom."

Sam gets up and walks across the wooden floor, entering the men's restroom. There are two urinals and a stall. He looks at Rick's reflection in the mirror above the sink.

"I haven't leaped yet," says the leaper. "Does Nick still die?"

Al pushes buttons on the colored handlink. "Ziggy can't find anything," answers the observer. "I mean, nothing to indicate he's dead- but nothing on him."

"Maybe no news is good news."

"Ziggy's telling me something. He says that solving this leap, the key is right here in Benny's."

"Might as well enjoy thew night; Nick and his friends are pleasant company."

Sam leaves the bathroom.

"I saw you on stage," he hears.

Sam looks and sees it comes from a man, about five feet four inches, with short, dark brown hair and a big nose. "You were there?" he asks.

"Yeah. And your performance," says the man, "well, it's something straight out of a junior high auditorium."

"If you're just going to insult me, I don't have the time."

"But the material is good!"

Sam turns towards the man. "The material?"

"did you write your material?"

"No, I didn't."

"That material, if it can be delivered by the best comedians. If you can introduce me to the writer, I can make it worth you while."

"He's here. Let me lead you to him."

Sam leads the man to the table where Nick and company are sitting.

The man's eyes widen upon seeing Nick.

"You look alike," he says.

Nick stands up. "We get that sometimes," he says.

"Did you write the jokes you told on stage at the Bay Club?"

"Yeah."

"The name's Ezekiel Sheinlein," says the man. "I'm a producer from L.A., for Galactic Pictures. I grew up here in Sandusky. I was here for family business, and I saw a flier about the comedy contest, and I wanted to check it out. That Dwayne Parmer was sure funny."

"He was the best," says Nick.

"I came here because Benny's has had the best pastrami reuben anywhere in the world! I mean, the food at the Club costs a fortune, even with a half-off coupon. But anyway, your material is top notch. Would you be interested in becoming a writer for me."

Nick looks at his friends, who had heard the conversation. "I don't know."

"Take your time, friend," says Ezekiel. He reaches into his pocket and takes out a cardboard cared. "My card. Call me."

"Maybe" says Nick, taking the card.

Al looks on as Ezekiel leaves Benny's. He then looks at Nick, who is looking at the card.

"What are you going to do?" asks Maci.

"Well," says Nick. "I'll call him Monday morning. The worst he can do is say no."

Al punches buttons on the handlink. "Actually, Ezekiel Sheinlein says yes," says Al. "We know what happens to Nick. He becomes a comedy writer. His material is used in comedy shows, sitcoms, movies. He even got an Emmy nomination for Best Comedy Writer in 1993!

"And Rick still goes on to win the '82 motocross championship."

Sam goes to the bar, and Nick follows him. They both sit on stools.

"Too bad I can't watch your race tomorrow."

"See the man in the mirror?" asks Sam.

Nick looks and sees his and Rick's reflection in the mirror behind the bar. "Yeah."

"You always had their backs."

Unseen to Nick or anyone else inside Benny's, Sam is surrounded by a blue aura, and he quantum leaps out of the Standhardt twins' lives.