Go back in time? Money on the Cubs?
‘Yeah!’ Marty agreed enthusiastically. He looked over at the Blast from the Past antique store. There, still in the window, was the digest-sized answer to all his future problems. He walked closer to get a better look, reading the dark red lettering on that silver cover even more carefully than before:
GREY’S SPORTS ALMANAC:
50 Years of Sports Statistics
1950-2000 Includes
Baseball, Football, Horse Racing, Boxing!
It was foolproof, thought Marty, the perfect moneymaking plan. He would take that book back to 1985 and have the results of every m
ajor sporting event until the end of the century. And next to the book was a sign in the window: ‘We buy antique bills and coins’. So he could even pay for it from his own wallet. It was perfect! He’d make sure that his future didn't end up down the toilet.
Marty entered the antique store and told the saleswoman what he wanted.
She pulled the Sports Almanac out of the window display for Marty, and launched into a salespitch. ‘This one has a very interesting feature - a dust jacket.’ She pulled the jacket loose to show him. The actual cover underneath was identical in design to the dust jacket: silver, with red lettering and pictures of sports figures. ‘Books used to have these to protect the covers - of course, that was before they changed to dust repellent paper,’ she explained, re-attaching it. ‘And if you're interested in dust, we also have this quaint little device from the 1980's; it was called a “dustbuster.’ ”
Marty eagerly took the Almanac from her. ‘No thanks. I’m just interested in sports,’ he said.
A history buff, eh?' she asked.
‘Something like that,’ Marty replied.
The lady gave him the book in a silver bag. The whole transaction only took a couple of minutes. He looked at old Biff, still polishing Griff's car, as he headed out of the store, towards the alley and his meeting with Doc.
'A loser, am I?' Marty asked, half to himself. He opened the bag and took a quick look at the book that was his future guarantee. From now on, he would stay as far away from that toilet as possible!
Marty Junior stepped out of the Café 80s, still rubbing the spot on the back of his head where he'd hit the floor. He wasn't sure quite what had happened in there. One minute, he had just said no, and the next Griff had tossed him behind the counter.
After that, he had to admit, he had been ready to say yes to almost anything, but Griff and the other guys hadn't come back to get him! Instead, he vaguely remembered a whole bunch of shouting, and then, he guessed, everybody left. Well, whatever happened, it was lucky for Marty McFly Junior. Maybe, he thought, you really could say no to Griff. Junior decided he wouldn’t be so cowed by the bully next time he ran into him.
Old man Biff looked up from where he was waxing his grandson’s car to stare at Junior
‘What the hell?’ Biff muttered. ‘Two of them?’
Two of them? Junior thought. What the hell did that mean? Two of what? Two Marty McFly Juniors? Was the old man seeing double or something? Or was he just crazy?
Junior laughed as he walked away. He bet the whole Tannen family was crazy.
Marty turned the comer into the alley and stopped.
Jennifer was still there, asleep, where Doc had left her.
But she was no longer alone. Two women cops were getting out of their police car. They strolled over to where Jennifer was curled up, snoring peacefully.
Tranked out. I’d say,’ one of the cops ventured. ‘Smell her ears.’
The other cop obliged with a frown, but shook her head. ‘Nothing.’
‘Run a thumb check,’ the first one ordered.
The second cop lifted Jennifer’s arm. then pressed the sleeping girl's thumb against the side of a small silver box.
A flat, machine voice spoke from the box, clearly but rapidly:
‘Name: McFly, Jennifer Jane Parker. Address: 3793 Oakhurst Street, Hilldale. Date of birth: October 29 1968. Arrests: none. Warrants: none. Convictions: none.’