Happy 1885 Week! Day 5

September 6, 1885: After apparently spending the night at Clara's, Doc returns to Hill Valley with her pin and flowers. Marty is waiting for him, rather annoyed over Doc's behavior concerning Clara. After a short conversation, showing how lovestruck Doc really is, they both notice the tombstone. Doc demands the picture and sees that his name and the inscription has erased -- but the tombstone and the date themselves remain. While Doc theorizes about what this may mean, the local undertaker comes and measures Marty for a coffin (having offered him a new suit before). Doc says that this could mean that it's MARTY who is now destined to die. "Great Scott!" "I know, this is heavy."
On that note, Doc notices Marty is wearing the gunbelt and scolds him, saying he shouldn't get so upset every time someone calls him a name and that's exactly what gets him into an accident in the future. Whoops! Marty demands to know more, but Doc refuses, saying he might make things worse and that a person has to do what he has to do.
Later that night, while they're setting up the DeLorean, Doc tells Marty that he's staying behind because he's in love with Clara -- he has to follow what's in his heart. A very upset Marty tells him he's a scientist and that he needs to think with his head. Doc agrees, but says he has to at least tell Clara goodbye. Marty points out that she won't understand -- then seeing how unhappy Doc is, throws out the idea that maybe they should take Clara with them. Doc rejects it, saying he can't manipulate the space-time continuum for his own benefit. They will proceed as planned, and destroy the time machine once home in 1985.
After Marty's asleep, Doc gives into his heart and sneaks away to tell Clara goodbye. Clara is understandably distraught and demands to know the truth. Doc tells her that he's a time traveler from 1985 --
And gets slapped by a now furious Clara, who assumes he's lying and that he's taking advantage of their mutual love of Jules Verne. Doc is left on the porch, heartbroken. He makes his way into town and to the Palace Saloon, intending to drink himself into oblivion. A barbed wire salesman realizes he's suffering from a broken heart and says that there'll be other women in the future. Doc smirks. "The future, oh, I can tell you about the future. . . ."

Looking at the above, I see two things that puzzle me, given that Doc's pretty smart:
1. Why is Doc puzzled by the fact that the tombstone is still there? Doesn't he figure that someone else who died naturally will receive the tombstone?
-D: That's a good point -- however, I think it's mostly the fact that the date remains as well that convinces him that its either himself or Marty who is going to die.-
Ahhh, good point.
2. This is covered in Back To The Future Part III 1/2: Clara technically doesn't belong in that timeline either, so why NOT take her back to the future?
-TD: Well, seeing how she reacts when older me explains what he is. . . .-
True. But there had to be another way to go about it that wouldn't lead to a sore face for Doc.
-E: How dare she slap him?! How dare she?! You need to get better girlfriends, Emmett!-
-OD: Hey!-
Actually, OckDoc, your Clara never slapped you. You met after Marty got mad and stormed away from the campsite.
-OD: Good point, but still. . . .-
-VD: *annoyed* Emily, our current girlfriends are NOT like our former ones. You don't have to get all self-rightous.-
-E: You're my little brother!-
-H: *gigglefit* Sorry, sorry, I just find that amusing given how they're all older than you -- except for TeenDoc, obviously.-
-D: You're FAR too overprotective of us, sis.-
-VD2: Trust us, we're not that fragile.-
-E: TrilogyYou went off to get drunk after getting slapped, and I'm pretty damned sure he knows what alcohol does to him.-
-Docs:. . . .-

( Simming It Up )

Okay, now for dessert and bed. Yay for a four-day work week.