Anyway, yesterday I featured a story from "Riverdale High #4" where Miss Grundy's apartment is damaged by fire, and the gang comes together to help clean it up. It was a lovely story and had a heartwarming tone to it. But that tone was lost when it was reprinted in a digest and a couple of the panels were altered in a way that it kind of ruined the story. Like when Miss Grundy's picture was damaged and the reprinted copy did nothing to fix it.
It goes without saying that if you want to have a copy of this story, seek out the original and NOT the version released in "Laugh Digest #132". It was a disappointment.
But, as I also mentioned in yesterday's entry, I'm not disappointed with the entirety of Laugh Digest #132. Truth be told, it has several other holiday stories in there that are very good. And unlike the Riverdale High tale, these stories were not altered (or if they were, it was so minor that I wasn't aware of the changes). So, to give some redemption to Laugh Digest #132, I thought I would feature another story in that book that I really loved.
Now because it was a reprint, I suppose I should post the source of the original. As it happens, it also appeared in a Laugh title. "Laugh Comics #371". The story was actually released the same year as my very first Christmas, so I guess that's one reason why I like it so much.
It's time for a story called "Never Too Late".
Okay, it was also a song title by Kylie Minogue back in 1989.
Anyway, on with the story. It's snowing in Riverdale, it's a couple of days before Christmas, and everyone is in the home stretch. Stores are having their final Christmas sales, little kids are carrying Christmas trees through the streets. And most everyone has their Christmas shopping completed.
Well, everyone except Archie, that is.
Both Betty and Veronica seem shocked by Archie's lack of preparation for the Christmas holidays. But, as a man, I can understand Archie's thinking. Before I started working retail, I used to be one of those December 23rd shoppers because I absolutely hated shopping. But now that I have been in the profession for fourteen years, I try to get mine done as soon as possible. As of today, I am all done!
But fear not, Archie is not stressed out in the least. You see, Archie has a plan in motion. His trump card for the holidays is his cousin Charlie. Charlie has been working at one of Riverdale's largest department stores, and Charlie knows how to hook Archie up. Let Archie explain it in his own words. Because once the store closes for the night...
I have to admit, that would be an ideal Christmas shopping experience. And keep in mind that this story was first published in 1981. There was no such thing as online shopping back in those days. Back then, you had no choice but to go to the malls and buy your gifts. Believe me, even with online shopping, stores can be impossible to navigate on Christmas Eve. So the luxury of shopping in peace and quiet? No wonder Archie is so excited.
Betty and Veronica are equally impressed by Archie's good fortune and wish him luck in finding everything that he wants for Christmas. Veronica even tells Archie to buy her something extravagant. Well, I guess she didn't change her ways THAT much from two days ago.
Flash forward to Christmas Eve. It's closing time at the store that Archie wants to shop at and he watches as store management shoos the last of the customers out into the cold winter air. Once the last customer leaves, Archie heads back towards the employee entrance to greet his cousin and start spending his money on gifts and stocking stuffers. But to Archie's surprise, Charlie isn't there. And the clerk inside the office gives Archie some rather glum news.
And with Charlie being an ex-employee at the store, this means no golden ticket for Archie.
Now, in 2018, this wouldn't be too much of a big deal. There's always a Shell station or a pharmacy open where you can get gift cards activated. In 1981, when gift cards didn't exist...well, Archie's pretty screwed.
Dejected, Archie arrives back home where surprisingly his father is still awake decorating the Christmas tree. Wow, looks like the procrastinating apple doesn't fall far from the tree of procrastination! Fred asks Archie why he's so miserable on Christmas Eve, and Archie explains the situation regarding cousin Charlie and how his big mouth spoiled his Christmas plans. Yeah, I don't see too much compassion towards Charlie. He lost his job on Christmas Eve. What if he had a family? But no, since Charlie is an unseen character, we're not supposed to care about him.
Archie is kicking himself for waiting until it was too late to buy gifts. Now he'll have to go and tell his friends that he can't give them anything for Christmas. But as it turns out, Archie has three choices.
1. Tell his friends he has no presents for them and ruin Christmas for everyone. (Bad)
2. Wrap up $20 bills in boxes and present them to his friends telling them to take advantage of the after Christmas sales. (Better)
Or, you could do option #3, a suggestion given by Fred Andrews. Donate the money to a Christmas Eve telethon in the name of his friends and family members that he wanted to buy gifts for.
Looks like Archie has chosen option #3. The best possible option there was. As it turns out, Veronica and Betty are watching the same telethon...as well as some random strangers who are still on the streets even though Christmas Day is just an hour and a half away. Weird.
But the net result is that it was really the best gift that Archie could have given everyone. Mr. Lodge tells him that the nation is proud of him (wait, this was a national telethon like the Jerry Lewis Telethon for MDA?), and Betty and Veronica reward him with their love and attention. Basically, Christmas is the only day where Betty and Veronica are willing to share Archie.
But yeah, I really like this one too. It goes to show that sometimes materialism doesn't have to define the season. Sometimes it's all about charity too. And Archie and his dad certainly showed that in spades.
But seriously...can someone check on cousin Charlie to make sure he's okay?
It's Day #11 tomorrow, and you know, for some reason I feel like doing a spotlight on a Josie and the Pussycats story. Find out what happens when they bestow gifts to two of the most spoiled people they know.
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