The teen gave a small smile, nodded and turned on his heels. They don't need people even at Subway ! Of course the economy is screwed up, everything is screwed up. Allowances are a source of pain for every teen, especially if your parents are in their middle ages, have two mouths to feed and jobs are hard to come by. They get tougher if you have an appetite which is an anamoly and you are not exactly used to working for money. Yes, things can be hard for the third Jones to bear the name of Forsythe Pendleton.
Sitting on a bench at Pickins Park, Jughead thought over the past few weeks. Sure he was always hungry but it just didn't seem right anymore to turn home for food, food and more food. He alone could eat in a meal what his family ate in a day. Do the math, he was unaffordable, a liability in a time when the whole world was planning to go bankrupt. "Well it sure won't do any good shucking around like this" he said, fingering his cell phone. He needed to talk, someone who would listen and offer him some advice for a change, yeah right, the grand old man of Riverdale High asking for advice. Archie ? Maybe, why not. After all, what are old friends for ? The screen flashed, the green balls going back and forth. No answer. Probably out with one of the girls, Jughead smirked to himself. How could people keep dating in a time like this ? Who ? Who was there ? He went down the As and then stopped at the first entry in the B list.
Betty
Would she be available ? Let's see today is Saturday and it's afternoon already, probably at the mall with Veronica. It didn't seem right to burden her with his troubles, she always turned to him when it came to Archie or anything that needed a good sounding board. She talked, he listened and responded. Short and precise. Often sarcastic, sometimes deep, never malicious. No, let her enjoy her time. God knows she deserves it. She isn't a lazybones like me. She has been saving for college. What on earth have I been doing ? He scrolled further down, hoping to hit someone who would care, the phone decided for him.
Dilton ?
What does he want ? Usually it's the other way round. Whenever an assignment was due which floored everyone, Doiley was the one whom everyone turned to. Hell, his cell would buzz like a hornet's nest. What would Riverdale's Einstein want from Jughead unless it was the recipe of some arcane food item lost in the mists of time ? Jughead answered it nevertheless.
"Hello Dilt ?"
"Jug, yeah this is me. Listen, can you come over to the school library right now ? It's really urgent."
"Whoa Dilt ! Where's the fire ? I mean the year just started, and anyway what on earth do you need me for ? You are the whiz kid, not me."
"Says the guy who would have topped his class every year if I wasn't in the same class. Honestly Jug, if I could figure out how you crack your tests without ever seeming to make the effort, I would seriously start pursuing girls."
Both of them laughed into their cells. It was true. Lazy Bones Jones was Dilton's Number 1. That is if you picture Dilton as Captain Picard. Only once, three years back did Jughead put one over Dilton and was the best student in class. This was also the reason why the Bee, Miss Grundy and Prof. Flutesnoot overlooked his complete disregard for their classes, they knew that when it really mattered, he never failed.
"Ok, I will be there. But remember, this calls for a treat."
"Sure, sure. We will hike over to Pops and I will pick up the tab, now get the hell over here".
School on the weekends was a perfect example of a deserted building, that is if you don't count the likes of Dilton Doiley who would give their right arm to be given free access to the labs and the library. Jughead sauntered in the library, it wasn't big but it was enough for the school and anyway it was only a handful who ever bothered to use it. He saw Dilton on one of the tables, hidden behind his Macbook with two stacks of books on both sides. The whiz kid seemed really interested in something on the screen, Jug glanced at the stacks. Algebra, he could understand that. Computing ? Algorithms ? What the hell's going on here ? Dilton looked up.
"There you are, sit down pal. We have got work to do."
"Work ? You never said anything about any work ! If you are planning on me to lug these books around, forget it Dilt ! I am not into weight lifting."
"Simmer down." Dilton took a big yawn and scratched his head with both hands. "I was an idiot to go into this alone, I seriously need to team up. And the only person in this whole town whom I know to be capable of sustained rational thought, apart from me ( he did a little bow ) is you."
"Ok Dilt, let's say you start from the top and this time in English please."
"Do you know about the ACM ?"
"Association of Computing Machinery, what about it ?"
"Well, the ACM has one of the toughest coding competitions in the world. I mean they were the first and are still the finest. It's online and prestigious. People from all over the world battle.." Jughead cut him off.
"Hello Dilt ! I am Jughead ! I don't even know how to code, the most I can do with a computer is play games and surf the net. Hell, I can't even tell all those stuff apart which you people call languages, and you expect me to help you code ..."
"The first prize is 50,000 dollars."
Jughead was waving his arms arounds, they froze in mid air and he and Dilton looked at each other for a good 2 minutes. As in a slow motion film, Jug let his hands down. "What do you want me to do ?"
"I know you can't code Jug, but you can think and you can think like hell. Grundy or Flutesnoot may lose their cool when you screw their maths or science assignments but I have seen your work, you don't think like normal people do Jug. You can see things, things others can't even dream of. And that's why I need you. See this ?" He held up a thick yellow hardcover book called Algorithms and handed it to Jug. "Algorithms or Algos are the soul of any computer program. They are the thought which is put into machines and devising them is the hardest part. It's like an architect drawing up plans for a building. Sure making the building is tough too and there are a lot of lessons which are learnt only when you get your hands dirty, but the soul must be there for the body. You, Jughead Jones, can help me with this. Make algorithms for the problems, I will code them. Together I am sure we will ace this damn thing."
Jughead was turning the pages of the book "When does it start ?" he asked.
"It's already on."
Jug looked up and Dilton was startled to see the hunter's look which Jughead reserved for food.
"Let's get started."
"Pour deux personnes s'il vous plait."
"Deux personnes, s'il vous pla t me suivre."
She was a gracious maitre and everyone knew it. Still a teenager and yet her ease with French and her courtesy ensured she was a hit with the clientele at La Cliche, Riverdale's top notch restaurant. Apart from showing guests to their tables, the blonde also handled calls for reservations and any special requests the guests had. Sure she didn't have a share of the fat tips but it paid well for a night job and would go a long way for her allowance and future plans. Yet there are somethings which can test the resolve of a brave girl, and one such thing walked in.
"Pour trois...My, Betty, what are you doing here my dear ?"
"Good Evening Mr. Lodge, welcome to La Cliche. I am your maitre for the evening." Betty gave one of her winning smiles. She was genuinely happy to see her best friend alongwith her family at the restaurant. She had already picked up three menus and the wine list and would have said the customary SVP when her eyes met Ron's.
Ron was skewering her with her eyes. How could she do this ? Betty Cooper, best freind of THE Veronica Lodge, working as a maitre ! Just wait till tomorrow morning girl ! I will give you a dressing down for letting me down like this !
"I am really proud that Veronica has you for a friend, and your parents must be very proud of you too ! Seeing you like this reminds me of my young days !" Ron was caught unawares, her Dad was gushing because Betty was a maitre ! Didn't he have any concern when his business partners would mention that they were graciously served by her daughter's best friend ?
"You are right dear, Betty is a very hard working girl. I hope that some of it rubs off on her closest friends." With that Ron's mother turned to the pretty brunette who had turned scarlet between her parents. Surely they must be joking ! Do they have any idea of the damage being done to their reputation ?
Betty saved her friend with her SVP.
Archie was swinging his legs laying on his bed. Ron was out with her parents, Betty's cell was switched off, Cheryl would have loved to have him over but her pals showed up at the last minute. This ruled out all the girls, but the boys ? Where the hell was Jughead ? His cell was buzzing like a bee hive but Jug didn't pick up, this wasn't like him. It must be very serious. He called up the Jones home and her mother sounded concerned but after some quiet on the line she spoke
"Let him be Archie, he is like that sometimes. You know him as much as I do. Whenever Forsythe does that, he is busy with something very dear to his heart."
Dear to his heart ? The only thing Archie knew that was dear to Jug's heart was food. So he was on an eating binge ? A binge by Jug's standards ? That would need the whole supermarket. He hung up, this was going to be a lousy weekend.
-
The night security guard looked at his watch. 12:30 am on a Saturday night ! What were these two doing here ? Must be big time losers, no life at all, or could be watching porn on the school's wi-fi. The guard smirked, shook his head and went on his rounds.
Dilton was dazed, when he called in Jug, he hadn't even started on any of the problems. He was right at the bottom of the pile with teams from China, Russia and India battling it out for the top 3 spots. 9 hours later, the forums were buzzing about an US team that climbed from 0 to the top of the heap. His fingers were sore from all the typing. Across him, Jug seemed to be gasping for air, 9 hours of concentrated mental effort drains anyone, even Dilton. This was Jughead, he needed food and yet for the last 9 hours, he subsisted on chewing gum and water. His eyes were focussed somewhere far off.
"How many more, Dilt ?"
Dilton was scared to say anything. He was sure that one more and either Jug would go beserk or his own fingers would fall off trying to translate Jug's solutions to code. He eyed the list. Every single problem was solved. Every one of them aced in the first try. This had to be a world record.
"Do me a favor Dilt, please drive me home. I don't think I will be able to walk."