Wednesday, August 25, 1997

8:25 am

On the first day of his new job, Marty walked in wearing a nice dress shirt and slacks. He set his bag down on his desk and tapped a pile of papers into alignment on the wooden surface. Turning, he faced twenty-one bright eyed young musicians, armed with trombones, flutes, and drumsticks.

"Good morning, everyone. I'm Mr. McFly, but everyone calls me Marty." A small ripple of disbelief ran through the room. "Yes, "everyone" includes you."

Looking around, Marty smiled. A room of bright budding musicians- most of them didn't know that he had been a fairly famous rock musician himself for six years, until the demands of life on his band had forced them to move on. "I play guitar as my main instrument, but can also play all of your instruments, so ask if you have a question. I'm married and have a beautiful wife. I live a few streets away from the school and spend a lot of at the Brown Mansion, so if you ever need to find me for something, that's where I could be."

Marty surveyed the crowd. Most were looking at him with avid attention; he was guessing most of their teachers didn't start by telling them where they lived. At least Doc was a figure with considerably more respect these days - ever since he came home with a wife and children and had a few successes in the area, he had been much more popular.

"This year, we're going to learn music, and we're going to learn about music. It's more than notes on a page, it's got history and culture and we're going to explore that together and play some cool stuff while we're at it."

A young, curly haired flautist in the front row raised his hand. "Yes, Mr... Dufresne?" Marty checked the roster.

"Can we really call you Marty, Mr McFly?"

Marty laughed and nodded.

"Now, who likes music?"

BTTF BTTF BTTF

The second day of classes, he came in wearing jeans and a t-shirt. They looked at him like he had grown a second head overnight. A few students were blatantly awed; clearly they had found out from their parents about his rock and roll past.

He held up the cheap conductor's baton he bought a few months ago when he had found out that his application to start a real band program at the middle and high schools had been approved. "Okay, people. Let's start with the Sousa. And a one, two, three, four." Vigorously, Marty waved his hand to cue the band, startling half a dozen trombone players who were clearly not expecting their musical prowess (or lack thereof) to be tested so suddenly.

"Okay, let's try that again," Marty stopped, smiling kindly at the sheer panic on the brass players' faces. "Remember, you come in on one."

BTTF BTTF BTTF

Three weeks later, Marty was on his way out of the school, arm full of music theory papers and stacks of new band music, when a voice stopped him at the door. "Mr McFly? Marty?"

Turning, he smiled at the small sixth grader. She was in his band class, in the last row of saxophones. Long, wavy blonde hair and a square jaw lent her a slightly older look, betrayed only by her height.

"Yes, Suzie?"

She rocked back and forth on heels for a moment, twisting one hand's fingers around the sax case and the other in the pocket of her jacket. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure." Marty motioned toward a bench near the door, where sun fell through the glass blocks and warmed the room. "What's up?"

Suzie wouldn't meet Marty's eyes. Taking a deep breath, she began to say something, then stopped. Marty waited. "I can't..." She whispered. "I can't keep playing the saxophone."

Looking at her with concern, Marty asked, "Why not?"

"Because I'm not good. The notes don't come out right."

Marty leaned over. "That's not a reason to stop playing, Suzie. If you keep practicing, then you'll get better and better until all of the notes are perfect."

Suzie looked up, and then back down, tucking her hands under her legs. "I'm not allowed to practice at home. My parents say I'm too loud."

"What about here at the school?"

"Mr Strickland says it's not allowed." Her voice dropped another few levels in volume.

Marty's heart hurt for the young girl; discouraged, downtrodden, and on the verge of giving up music.

"Suzie, do you remember where I live?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Marty." He teasingly corrected her. "Do you want to come and practice at my house?"

She looked at Marty full for the first time. A look of wonder crossed her face. "Really?"

"Sure, Suzie. I want you to get better. I want you to love music as much as I do. How about you come home with me after school some days and I'll help you practice?"

Suzie nodded, smiling. A car roared outside, and a voice hollered. "Come on, Suzanne! I don't have all day!"

"Just tell your parents that, starting tomorrow, you'll spend a few days a week going to a teacher's house to get some extra help. I'm not picky about which days, and I'll take you home afterwards. Okay?"

"Okay." Solemnly, Suzie stuck out a small hand towards Marty. He shook it gravely.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow."

Popping up from the bench, Suzie picked up her saxophone case and her backpack and ran out to the car that had pulled up.

As she drove off with her father, Marty shook his head. This was heavy; never did he think he would be giving extra lessons at his house to the daughter of Biff Tannen.

BTTF BTTF BTTF

The next Tuesday, Marty carried Suzie's sax case out to the car and opened the door for her so she could hop in. She popped into the seat and sat looking out the window until they pulled up to the McFly house.

Jenniffer was on her way out to take a walk with Clara, but stopped to meet the new arrival.

"Jenniffer, this is Suzie Tannen. She's the one I asked you about, who's going to be practicing here. Suzie, this is my wife, Jenniffer McFly."

Suzie shyly extended a hand to shake.

"Pleasure to meet you, Suzie. I'm going out for a walk, but I'll probably be back before you leave."

Marty and Suzie traipsed through the little house, stopping only to have a snack, until they arrived at what Marty fondly called "the musician's room of requirement" and Jenniffer called "the untidy music room."

They set up a music stand and started practicing, Marty coaching Suzie through every note of the song.

BTTF BTTF BTTF

That Thursday, Jenniffer met the pair, overdramatically waving her arms as if she was trying to flag down a plane rather than her husband and a student.

The pair walks to the door, amused. "Yes, dear?" Marty grinned.

Jenniffer smiled back. "You can't practice here today. I'm baby sitting the neighbor's daughter and finally got her down for a nap and if you wake her, so help me God, you will never step foot in this house again, Mr McFly." She gave Suzie a teasing smile. "I called Doc, he's around, he says you can come practice over at the mansion."

"The mansion it is, then." Marty kissed Jenniffer on the cheek and scooped up Suzie's case. "Okay with walking, kiddo? It's only a few blocks."

Suzie nodded. They walked in silence until she spoke up. "Is the Brown Mansion really cool? Does it have lots of neat things that Doctor Brown made?"

Marty nodded. "Doc's always building cool stuff. I bet he'll show you if you want."

She looked like she didn't know how to respond to that, slowing down and scuffing a toe on the pavement. "My daddy says that Doctor Brown is crazy. Is he? I met him in town, once. I didn't think he was crazy."

A small twinge of anger rolled through Marty; even in 1993, the new 1993, Biff Tannen was spreading lies in his own home. "Nah, Doctor Brown's not crazy. He's really cool. Maybe a little eccentric, but neat. I met him when I was only a little older than you."

"Really?"

"Really." They round the corner.

"It's not a mansion... It's just a regular old house!" Suzie complained, making Marty laugh.

"Yeah, but everyone calls it the Brown Mansion because that's what the original house was called."

The house was unlocked and Marty let himself and Suzie in through the front door. Unfolding a portable music stand and grabbing a chair, Marty set Suzie up. He sat, giving advice as she squeaked through scales and some of the things they were playing in class.

As well as the lesson had started, though, twenty minutes later it was falling apart. "Mr McFly, Marty, I can't do this, Sir." Suzanne looked ready to cry. "It sounds bad."

Marty looked at her for a moment, then took the saxaphone and sat it on the chair next to them. He moved the stand so it wasn't in the way, carefully scooting his seat closer so he was directly in front of her.

"Suzie." Marty put on hand on her shoulder and used the other to cup her chin so she was looking at him. A door opened and closed and footsteps could be heard in the hallway, but while Marty noticed, he paid no attention to them, keeping his eyes on the young girl with the brown, tear-filled eyes. "Suzie, I think you are a very smart young woman. And I think that you can do this." He sat back a little. "A very wise man once told me that if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. And I think you can put your mind to it and you can do this."

Suzie nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, and then gasped slightly. Doc stood just outside the door. Marty turned to see what she was looking at and smiled. "Hey, Doc."

Doc raised his eyebrows, smiling. "Very wise?"

"Better believe it, Doc. I learned from the best." Emmett Brown smiled fondly at his friend, then turned to the girl.

"Marty, aren't you going to introduce us?" Marty smirked slightly; Doc knew perfectly well who the girl was, but clearly didn't want to spook her with the fact that he did know.

"You've met before, in town once, right?" Marty directed that at Suzie. She nodded timidly.

Doc looked dramatically affronted. "Surely not! I would remember such a beautiful young woman." Doc came over and took Suzie's hand, shaking it in his own large one. "Perhaps I could hear you play? Marty said he was giving lessons to a lady in one of his classes, and I would love to hear it."

Suzie hesitated, then nodded, a little worried. She picked up the horn and began to play with a little more confidence than before. After stumbling only a few times, she finished the first song.

"Brilliant, Suzie, brilliant!" Doc smiled at Marty. "An excellent job."

Marty smiled back. "Excellent, indeed."

Something happened between my notes and here and so these my be a little out of order from here on out... sorry!