G'day, Wandering Wonderer here. I enjoyed writing 'Reggie's Thoughts' so much, I thought I'd give it another shot. Though this time will be slightly different. I won't explain, you'll see. I've got plenty planned, but I don't know if I'll put them up individually or as a series of one-shots…we'll see.
Again, it'll be a Beggie pairing.
Disclaimer: I do not own Archie Comics…no funny joke to add, I don't own them. All Archie Comic characters belong to Archie Comic Publications. The little boy is my creation…no wait…I created his character, he's not MY boy…he he…anyway…
Ok, as I did last time, the contents are based on actual stories in Archie comics and this time the comic is…
Archie Double Digest #165
Daddy, Tell Me A Story
"Daddy, daddy, daddy…DADDY!"
A man with sleek black hair and brown eyes entered the room of a little boy with black hair just like his. In fact, the little boy was just like him in personality as well. The 5-year-old boy was a prankster and was always in trouble at school. A good kid at heart, he had one of the sweetest smiles. The one thing he inherited from his mother was her blue eyes. Not to mention, her singing voice…though he was taking he's father's interest in the guitar. One thing he got from both of them…his love of literature.
The older man, a 28-year old Reggie Mantle, sat beside his son on his bed. He smiled down at his son, ruffling his hair.
"You have to keep it down kiddo, Mummy's putting the twins to bed."
"Sorry Daddy, but you promised you'd tell me about your day, and then tell me story."
Reggie chuckled. "I did, didn't I? Ok, well, work was good. I submitted my article after interviewing Riverdale's new captain of the football team-"
"Uncle Moose!"
"That's right, Uncle Moose. Anyway, I submitted it to the editor of the newspaper I work at."
"That's Grandpa! Is Grandpa good?"
"He's fine son. And because I handed in my article before the deadline-"
"Daddy, do you like writing?"
"I do, very much so."
"Why?"
"Because it's something I like doing. I used to write for my high school newspaper, and I loved it. I love being able to write down my opinions, the opinions of others, and know people will be interested in it."
"So you didn't do it because when Grandpa retib-retre…stops working, you'll get the newspaper?"
"No, because that's about the money, and if it was about the money, I would have become a baseball player. I was asked by a lot of important people to continue with baseball, but I wanted to write."
"You're so cool Daddy."
"I know, but do you want me to finish telling you about my day? Yes, okay. After I handed in my article, I was told that I could leave for the day. So, I went and visited Uncle Arch at his house. We played pool, we played one-on-one basketball…big boy stuff."
"Uncle Archie doesn't have to go to work at normal hours coz he's famous!"
"Well, he's taken a break after his last album was released, so he came back to his home in Riverdale."
"I don't get it Daddy, if he loves Auntie Ronnie, and he loves him, why don't they get married like you and Mummy did?"
"That's because…well, you see…hmm…you'd have to ask Uncle Archie about that. Anyway, after I hung out with ol' Arch, I went and grabbed a bite at Pops."
"Was Uncle Jughead there? Or is he at a different Pops now?"
"No, he was there. I know he promised Pop that when he took over, he'd keep the atmosphere…he just kept it there in a lot of other places. He's opened a lot of Pop's all over the region."
"One where Cheryl lives?"
"Yep, in Centerville. And one in Greendale, where Sabrina and Harvey live with their kids. And one in Midvale, where 'Josie and the Pussycats' was founded."
"Uncle Juggie getting rich isn't he?"
"He is, but he always gives a lot of money to his charity that feeds starving children all over the world. That's Juggie, trying to feed the world."
"What did you do after you saw Uncle Juggie?"
"I had to go back to work. Chuck, the newspaper's cartoonist, called me saying there was a double booking…I'll explain what that is another time. And then, before I knew it, it was time to come home to see you, Mummy and your brother and sister."
"Kay Daddy, now you have to tell me a story!"
"Are you sure you don't just want to go to sleep? Ok, what story do you want?"
"You used to be a tricky boy like me. How did you try to get Mummy's attention when you were at school?"
"The main thing was to try and get her angry at Uncle Archie, because back then, she still loved him."
"Why?"
"Ha, you got me! No, you'd have to ask you're mother. She loves me now, and that's all I need to know."
"But tell about some of the times you tried to get her angry at Uncle Archie."
Archie: All In A Day's Work
I was walking down the street out the front of Veronica's house. I thought that if I didn't find Betty there, Archie may be, and we might be able to play a few rounds of tennis on the Lodge's court. If not, I could just hang out with Ronnie. Though, as I got closer to her house, I saw the funniest thing.
There was ol' carrot-top sitting in a trashcan. And there was Betty, beautiful Betty, smart Betty, kind Betty. She was teasing Archie.
"Why, there's plenty of mileage left in 'this' model." I heard her say, and I decided to join in.
"Really Betty, Scrounging around in garbage cans. I never pictured you as a trash collecter."
By the time I'd finished that line, I had her in a fit of giggles. And because we were having such a good time, we kept going.
"You may as well face the facts Reggie. I'm a scavenger from way back."
At this point, Arch was fed up with us. I knew that he'd been thrown out of the Lodges' either because he'd ticked off Ronnie or Mr. Lodge, so I decided to take a chance.
"Tell me Archie, to what do you attribute your enormous popularity?"
"You're not far from wrong wise guy!" He said. "My popularity is what caused this situation!"
Score, I thought. He was eating right out of my hand.
"Oh, tell me more. Do tell me more!"
"Veronica simply loves me too much!"
Sucker, he'd played right into my hand. Then I thought…wait, what's my goal again? Oh yeah, getting Betty angry with Archie.
His talk of Ronnie loving him too much was certainly going to annoy Betty, even if she didn't show it. I remember her smiling still, but I knew she was hurting inside. Some people would say that it was mean of me to make her unhappy, but she was unhappy even when I wasn't trying to get her angry with Archie. She knew she was second fiddle to Archie and she only didn't give up because she thought he'd come to his senses.
Then, after a few more minutes of teasing Arch, he and I left, as Betty had come over to see Ronnie and I was in the mood for some sport.
Homemade Mistake
You know, the moment I tasted Archie's pie, I knew that Betty had given him the recipe. I'd tasted some of Archie's food before and it was…not edible. This however, was delicious. Betty had once made a pie and happened to be passing by and she invited me in for a slice. That's how I knew Archie got the recipe from her. Later that day, after I heard that Archie was now on the Bee's good side, I saw Archie kissing Ronnie, remnants of a banana cream pie were on the floor.
By chance, I saw Betty coming up the stairs and I knew that it would made her mad at him, just what I wanted.
"Hey, ol' Arch is really making it with this new hobby of his isn't he?" I said to her.
"Have you tried his pie?"
It was time to get on her good side. I knew she was the mastermind behind that pie.
"Delicious, he's in sound with the Bee…" And now to make her angry. "And 'others' are pretty impressed with his talent too."
"Oh, what others?"
'Please be mad at him' I remember silently begging.
"He baked one of those pies for Ronnie. I just saw her showing her appreciation."
Boy, was she mad…she looked extra cute when she was mad.
"Wow, talk about kissing!" I finished.
"Son, if you are ever trying to make a girl angry at another guy, try telling her that he is kissing another girl. I remember talking to Arch, and he told me that Betty had thrown a pie at his face."
"Mummy did that?"
"She did!"
"Yes I did." Betty said, coming into the room.
Betty had only grown more beautiful over the years, though, as of late, she had begun leaving her hair down, accentuating her blue eyes. Now the English teacher at Riverdale High School, Betty also wrote novels in her spare time, and she was very successful.
"Mummy, when did you stop loving Uncle Archie?"
"That's for another night sweetie. Time for bed now."
Reggie got off his son's bed, ruffled his hair and kissed him on the head.
"Night son,"
"Night Daddy."
Leaving the room together, Reggie slipped an arm around his wife's waist, kissing her on the cheek.
"You really shouldn't be giving our son tips on how to make a girl fall out of love with another man."
"All fair in love and war, babe."
What did you think? I've already got the next one planned out, and will be up after I update all my other stories.
Review, I love reviews!!
-Wandering Wonderer