Chapter Eleven: Terry Tate and Ramsay
Many decades ago, the Tate family established one of the best places to hang out in Riverdale, Pop's Choc'Lit Shoppe. As time went by, fathers and mothers of the Tate family would pass the diner down to the hands of their sons and daughters, confident that the diner would never go out of business.
Terry Tate, its current owner who went by the nickname of "Pop", would then pass it down to his daughter Tabitha. He knew that his age would slowly catch up with him, and he would rather have sweet, sweet Tabitha to continue in his footsteps.
"If you ever told me that, one day I'd have to step down and let my little girl take over our family business, I might call you crazy."
"Can you imagine working the same job all day, all night, for the rest of your life, Terry?"
"No. Sooner or later, these old bones won't be strong enough to carry me."
"Well, at least you get to enjoy the finer things in life."
Ramsay, Terry's Daemon, wasn't kidding when she said that. True, the goldfinch Daemon was kind of chatty when it came to Pop Tate's choice to inherit the family business rather than finding a better job somewhere else.
His goldfinch Daemon rarely spoke to people, whether strangers or frequent visitor. She only became lively and talkative when no one was around. Pop Tate wondered if she was like that to avoid embarrassing herself or her human.
"Tabitha will be alright. She's the type who enjoys working hard all day long."
"I know. How about those teens who used to came by three days a week?"
"Ah yes. Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica. They are currently busy with their own lives."
"I admit, I miss them quite dearly," Ramsay declared with a sigh.
"I miss them too," Terry nodded in agreement.
Well, think about it, what were they doing now? It had been four years ago when the four teenagers and their classmates graduated high school and went on their separate ways. Archie went to join the army. Jughead moved to New York to become a professional novelist. Betty studied in a law enforcement academy, while Veronica established herself as a businesswoman. Pop Tate, on the other hand, stayed behind in Riverdale only to witness the gradual decline of the town.
It all started small and easily missed, like less residents getting married or couples unwilling to have children. Then more signs of decay appeared, such as more people leaving town than moving in, as well as businesses closing down when Riverdale's economy stagnated. There used to be a lot of little children and their Daemons playing in parks across the town; now, the parks were filled with poor people who couldn't or wouldn't leave. Poor people who got kicked out of their homes because they had no more money to pay mortgages.
Not only that, but crimes began to rack up quickly as poverty slowly consumed the town. Pop Tate and Ramsay remembered how, before Jason Blossom's murder, there was nothing more severe than drug dealing and vandalism. Now, gangster crime, destruction of properties, and robbery had gotten too common that the local sheriff had to beg for assistance other municipalities.
As for the family's diner…
"I think I'm going to write a letter to my little girl."
"Why not use an e-mail?" Ramsay asked.
"Tabitha ain't got time for that. When was the last time you saw her checking her e-mail at work?"
"Hmm, back when she was trying out an office job, I think?"
Hah, office job, as if Terry's sweet girl had time for that. Pop Tate searched for a piece of paper, an envelope, and a pen for a few minutes. He was contemplating to withhold a particular message about Jughead, but seeing that he might not have another chance, the old man decided to do it as soon as possible.
Long story short, Tabitha must not inform the young man with the capuchin macaque Daemon that her father was no longer the owner of Pop's Choc'Lit Shoppe. As far as Jughead and his friends should be concerned, the diner was still open and the family remained as its sole manager, and everything was fine.
As for the old man himself, he'd like to retire in peace. Unless his sweet little girl specifically requested his assistance, he would rather let her deal with things without intervention.