May 23, 1986
10:28 PM PST

"Well, Jenn, that simply was a very fun night," gushed Marty, as he was driving home from the roller rink. Marty Jr actually began to think of how fortunate he was, that he and Jennifer had no plans to sleep together. "I mean, the music was so awesome - as were the snacks. They really have a lot of great video games. It's such a cool place."

"Yeah, it's a real cool hang-out spot," agreed Jennifer. "I'd feel so bad, if that building was ever to be torn down - or just turned into... Well, I'm not quite sure exactly what they'd turn the building into. I'd like our future children to, one day, hang out there."

You have no idea, Mom, Marty Jr thought, wistfully. He began to feel sad, as he knew that the building would be torn down. "Well, Jennifer, I'd also really love for the building to stay. There's a good possibility, though, that the building might not last."

"I really didn't mean to make you feel sad, Marty," replied Jennifer, as she placed her arms around Marty. "Well, how about looking at it this way? I'm quite sure that, if the building isn't still standing, our future children wouldn't really miss the place. I mean, I think that... Well, I'm sure that our children would think that the '80s is quite boring."

"No way!" blurted out Marty Jr, as his mother's statement was far from the truth. "I'm sure that... Well, how could anyone be able to find this decade to be boring. With the '50s, I can quite understand. However, the 1980s has music that can really get loud."

"That's just it, though," pointed out Jennifer. "The 1950s is three decades in the past. Likewise, by the time our future children are teens, the 1980s sure will be three decades in the past. Our future children might feel the same about the 1980s, as..."

"The music of the 1950s sure didn't rock," protested Marty Jr. As he realized what his mother said, he sure was stunned. His mother seemed to be so certain that she'd not only have children, but that they'd be teenagers by the 2010s. He quite remembered his father travelling through time, then. "You can't bang your head to Perry Como!"

"Yeah, that's very true," Jennifer replied, sighing. "You maybe can, though, to Chuck Berry. I guess that would be the late '50s, though. Well, I can't imagine that the music could get any louder. I guess I see what you're saying. Still, I do think that..."

Marty Jr sighed, as he pulled into the driveway. He resented how rap seemed to gain so much popularity. While his parents were just thrilled about his interest in '80s rock, not all the members of his parents' generation really seemed to share that sentiment.

"We're home," announced Marty Jr, as he turned into the driveway. "I guess much of the next generation really will be bored by the 1980s. That's to be expected. Still, I'm sure that our... Well, I rather hope that our own children will come to appreciate the music of our youth. After all, with having a musician for a father, I just feel as..."

"Well, Marty, I feel the same way," replied Jennifer. "Still, there's a very good chance that it might not happen. I mean, they really could end up preferring things from their own generation. In that case, could we blame them? Anyway, I can't stay for long."

"Yeah, that's fine," replied Marty, softly. As he looked around, he added, "It looks like my parents aren't home. That's very strange. I wonder where they went. They never mentioned having any plans, tonight. I sure do hope that nothing serious happened."

"C'mon, Marty," chided Jennifer, as she placed her arm around Marty's shoulder. "I'm quite sure that it's nothing major. I think you should just relax, a little." As the couple headed towards the house, she added, "I'm quite sure that they decided to just do a little something, tonight. Try to keep in mind, Marty. Your parents also have lives."

"Uh, right, yeah," stammered Marty. "Well, Jenn, let's see if we can find something to eat. Come to think of it, I'm a little tired. I'm also feeling quite nervous. I mean, I sure worry that, uh... that something might go wrong. I do really want to be successful."

"I think you do worry too much," pointed out Jennifer. "I mean, even if the show isn't flawless, it's really not the end of the world. After all, nobody is perfect. I really think that you should get some rest. You seem to need it. I'm really not hungry, anyway."

Marty just nodded, as he tried hard to make sense of what was going on. Both Sr and Jr, apparently, seemed to share a mind - as well as a body. Marty Jr just felt amazed, on all honesty, by how nervous his father simply felt - when it came to performing. He then noticed slip of paper, which was on the kitchen table. Carefully, he picked it up.

"Dear Marty," he read. "Your dad and won't be home, until shortly after midnight. We had a meeting to attend. There's a new box of chip and mint ice cream in the freezer. We also wish you rather good luck, on tomorrow's concert performance. Love, Mom."

"That was very nice of her," commented Jennifer, smiling. "Well, I suppose I'd better start heading home." Throwing her arms around Marty, she added, "Well, you'd sure better start thinking of hitting the sack. Be sure that you get plenty of rest, honey!"

"Thanks, Jenn," Marty replied, as he threw his arms around. "Well, it's actually been a wonderful night. So, uh, you're sure that you don't want any ice cream." Jennifer just shook her head. "In that case, I guess I'd better just say 'good bye'. I'm really looking forward for tomorrow. I certainly do hope that my parents will be able to come over."

"That would be very lovely," agreed Jennifer. "Well, I guess I really should get going. I'm also feeling tired. It'll be real nice, though, when we graduate. It's hard to believe that it's less than a month away. Well, I have a great feeling about us. I love you!"

"I love you, too, Jenn," Marty replied, just as he followed Jennifer to the door. Marty Jr felt quite uneasy. Of course, he greatly loved his mother. It still really felt strange, though - to act like she was his girlfriend. "Have a safe drive home! Take good care!"

Marty smiled, as Jennifer drove off. While both Sr and Jr loved her, they were simply different types of love. It didn't feel right for both feelings to be conveyed through a single "I love you". It seemed quite tantamount to using a single "I'm six" - in order to convey being six years of age, and being able to fit perfectly into size six clothing.

Marty just went to scoop up some chip and mint ice cream, which both Sr and Jr were very fond of. There were very few foods that they disagreed on. One that was most obvious, was that Marty Sr preferred green beans - while Marty Jr preferred corn.

As Marty stepped into his bedroom, he glanced around it. Marty Jr had the very same bedroom as his father used to have. It was quite a surreal feeling. It just felt a lot like being home, except that he really wasn't home. The bedroom really looked different.

Marty sighed, as he began to put his pajamas on. While it was quite a fun evening, it was also a rather strange one. Marty Sr just couldn't figure out how, all of a sudden, he ended up gaining thoughts of being his future son. Could that just be an effect of Doc's telepathic device, or was that something else? Marty just felt rather confused.

Marty Jr remembered making a wish to Tabitha. However, she just couldn't have anything to do with it - could she? In real life, stuff like that never really happened. It had to be something else. Then again, if time travel actually was possible - then it...

It was the flux capacitor, though, that made time travel possible. There simply had to be a scientific explanation to this. Was Tabitha also planning to become a scientist, or did she just borrow one of Doc's inventions? Could Tabitha be an extraordinary girl?

Marty reached for his diary, as he just couldn't believe what was happening. He knew that identity crises were quite common, but were they usually like this? It simply didn't seem normal. Why was he feeling as if, somehow, he was his future son? It was quite baffling, to say the least. His son wasn't born - or even conceived, for that matter.

Yet, Marty Jr knew that he existed - and that, somehow, he quite ended up inside his father's body. He then wondered if the telepathic device really did have something to do with it, and that Tabitha's "your wish is granted" was actually a mere coincidence.

It seemed especially strange, however, how Marty Jr instantly knew the names of his father's friends. Of course, his father's mind had supplied him with the information. In fact, he was also stunned by just how much of his father's past he could "remember".

Marty thought of Zach Nelson - who bore a striking resemblance to his son, Aaron. It was a somewhat interesting experience, being able to meet his close friend's father - as a teenager. He knew, though, that Zach wouldn't end up with Zoe. It really would be out of place, however, for him to tell Zach that. He really didn't wish to interfere.

Perhaps, listening to the radio would really provide a nice distraction. Marty turned on his alarm clock radio, which was turned to KKHV - located at 104.1 FM. In 2016, it was a classic rock station - while, back in 1986, it played the current and classic rock hits.

Marty crawled into bed, as he quite hoped that getting plenty of sleep would help. He had to do well, tomorrow, on his concert performance. He really hoped that, by then, things would return to normal. He certainly didn't wish to break the string of success.

Just then, The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and The News began to play. Marty just closed his eyes, as he began to enjoy the song that Sr and Jr were both real fond of. Even after thirty years, the song would quite remain a classic. However, many classic rock stations would actually refuse to play any song by Huey Lewis and The News.