The next evening, Ria drove to Donna's place across town.  She parked her red Ford Escort in the parking lot then went into Donna's building and upstairs to her third-floor apartment.

Donna opened the door before Ria had a chance to knock.  "Hi," she said, smiling.  "C'mon in."

Ria followed her into the small, tidy apartment, noticing the new picture of Donna and her boyfriend, Brian, on top of the television set.  She smiled. "You and Brian are really getting serious."

Donna couldn't help a slightly dopey grin.  "I think he's going to propose after we graduate."

"Congratulations," Ria said.  Her smile widened as she thought of how fun it would be to be a maid of honor.

"Thanks.  What movie did you bring?"

"'Emma.'"

"Jane Austen again?"  Donna sighed.  "At least it's not 'Pride And Prejudice.'  Shelly was ready to strangle you after the third tape."

"That's what I get for trying to introduce culture into her life."  Ria sat down on the couch.  "There are other things besides MTV."

"Not from where I'm standing," Shelly said from the doorway.  As always, she had let herself in.  "Still, a good Bowie movie comes second."

**The day Shelly learns manners is the day pigs learn to fly,** Ria thought.  She was a lot closer to Donna and Lauren than she was to Shelly.

"When's Lauren coming?"

"She called and said she's going to be a little late," Donna said.

"Let's just start without her," Shelly said impatiently.  She walked over to the phone.  "I'll order the pizza."

"I don't think so," Donna said.  "We're not up for more heartburn."  She picked up the receiver and dialed the number of the local pizza place.

Undeterred, Shelly walked over to the television.  "We can start 'Labyrinth' while we're waiting for Lauren and the pizza."

"Lauren really wants to see that movie," Ria reminded her.  "We can watch something else first."

"What?"

"I brought 'Emma' and Donna wants to watch 'You've Got Mail.'"

"'You've Got Mail,' definitely," Shelly said, putting the tape in.  "We can save the snoozefest for last."

**Like a David Bowie movie won't be a snoozefest?** Ria thought.  **I don't know what they see in him.**

Lauren arrived just as the pizza did, about halfway through the movie. By the time Shelly had started the "Labyrinth" tape, Ria was thinking of calling it a night already.  She had absolutely no interest in seeing Bowie and Muppets in the same movie.  Fortunately, Donna convinced her to stay. Ria curled up on a corner of the couch with her ever-present poetry book while Donna, Lauren, and Shelly sprawled out on the floor, a bowl of popcorn and a six-pack of soda between them.  She was deep in Poe's "The Raven" when she was interrupted by dreamy sighs and "He's so gorgeous."  Ria looked up at the television to see David Bowie's character intimidating the girl Shelly had identified as "Sarah the idiot."  **He's attractive, but nothing extraordinary.**

Bowie's character, Ria thought his name was Jared or something, was holding up a crystal ball and saying, "It's a crystal, nothing more.  But if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show you your dreams."

Shelly giggled.  "I can tell you what my dreams are.  They all involve a very hunky GK."

"GK?" Ria asked.

"The Goblin King, Ria," Lauren said.  "You know, Jareth."

"Oh."  **Jared, Jareth, close enough.**

"On the contrary, my dear," the Goblin King said as he watched the images in the crystal, "close only counts in horseshoes and atom bombs."

Jareth had a sixth sense about whenever someone was watching the movie based on his regrettable dealings with Sarah.  Most young women reacted like Shelly did.

**This Ria is the first woman to ever think of me as anything less than a "hunk,"** he thought.  **A unique woman, one that requires a bit more study.**