"Amazing Stories" Retro Recap: "The Main Attraction"

Written by Scotty

There are some people that have the ability to be the best at everything that they do.  Most of these people are very popular and need to stay in the limelight at all times to feel good about themselves.  While everyone looks up to them, they are not always able to catch their eye since they are less popular than their hero, but they still try everything within their power to get noticed.  With the feeling of being stuck in the shadows, it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it is there and if you are persistent enough, anything can happen.

Brad Bender is at the top of his game.  Being named all state in every sport that he has played, everything is on the up and up for the star, but he still wants more.  Brad now has his eyes set on becoming Prom King and has to decide on who he wants to make his queen. Thinking that there is no way that he can lose the race to the class president, Cliff, Brad is ready to accept his crown when some disheartening news comes across the intercom.

This year’s Prom King will not be based on popularity, but it will be whomever is able to sell the most raffle tickets for the school fundraiser.  Even though Cliff has gotten at head start on it, Brad is none too worried about losing to him, since all of his sales will come from the girls that want to be his queen.  But Brad has one admirer that will stop at nothing to catch his eye.  Shirley wants to be seen by the high school stud, but he is not willing to tarnish his image with the dorky girl and keeps trying to shun her away.  When he is supposed to be watching the meteor shower, Brad is on the phone with Cliff, trying to rub his opponent’s nose in his impending victory, but what Brad does not see is that a meteor is coming straight for him.

After crashing into his room, Brad continues to be the talk around town, but something is slowly starting to change with his body.  With everything else around his room becoming magnetized from the meteor strike, Brad is not an exception.  Trying to hide what is happening to him from his friends and family, Brad tries to get out of going to school for fear of losing face, but is still striving to become Prom King.  As he waits for the announcement to come over the intercom, Brad has to stay away from anything metal since it is all attracted to him.  When the scientists come to the school to find him and see if he is hiding anything from them, Brad tries to hide, but there is nowhere to run when his new attraction brings him face to face with his fate.

This episode shows how hard it is for someone to let go and allow themselves to change in any way.  Even when Brad becomes magnetized, he is still trying to show off for everyone how great he really is.  Even when his secret comes to light, he still tries to hold his head up high, even though he is beyond ashamed.  But when he finds out that his little dorky crush Shirley is affected by the same thing, there is nothing that can keep them apart, literally. It seems like everyone gets what they deserve in the end, no matter how good you are at something, or how popular you may be, your just rewards are always waiting for, no matter if you want them or not.  Always keep one eye to the sky, as you never know what will be coming down to you.

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