The newest Betty and Veronica Double Digest hit stores the first week of January, making the 269th issue of that title the official first digest of 2019. And it was in this digest that I found today's tale.
Originally appearing in "Betty and Veronica #143", this is a tale that was penned by Mike Pellowski, and illustrated by Dan DeCarlo and Henry Scarpelli. It wasn't too long after this story was released that Dan DeCarlo was fired from Archie after over 40 years of service to the company, and he passed away just a few months after that. So, in honour of Dan, I proudly present this tale.
This story is called "Deja Vu, Who?", and for those of you who might not understand the title, the phrase "Deja Vu" is a French expression that means the same as when you have the feeling that you've done something before, or been in the same situation before another time, and you remember it. Well, in this case, it's Betty who is having the feeling of deja vu, and not in a good way either once Veronica comes into Pop's.
Betty asks Veronica what it was like when her little cousin Ashley came to visit her. Veronica does not mince words when she tells Betty just how much of a spoiled brat she is, and she even provides various examples of why this was the case. Take for instance one day when Veronica decided to treat her cousin to a day of shopping at the local mall. When the limo pulled up to pick Veronica and Ashley up, Ashley was incredibly rude to the driver.
Ashley was so rude to the driver that Veronica was visibly embarrassed and told Ashley to knock it off, but of course, Ashley had the attitude that she was right and everyone else was wrong. As Veronica tells her story to Betty, she foolishly asks Betty if she knew anyone who was that bratty as a kid. Of course, Betty knows of one person who was like that...
Yeah, here's where Betty's feelings of deja vu come into play. Because back when Betty and Veronica were Ashley's age, Betty recalls Veronica being just as bratty with Mr. Lodge's employees as Ashley is now. Of course, Betty is polite and doesn't bring this up because if she does, she might get a chocolate milkshake thrown in her face. But Veronica is still steamed, and she brings up an incident that took place inside one of the stores at the mall.
The caption underneath this picture is true. I hate shoe shopping. But as someone who's worked retail for fourteen years, I also dislike it when customers treat me as if I'm their own personal shopper. I've actually dealt with a few "Ashleys" in my time, and not once have they been pleasant ones. So I can understand Veronica's frustration and anger when it comes to Ashley's conduct. I mean, at one point, Ashley flaunts just how wealthy her family is as an excuse to get the salespeople (who are likely working on commissions) to do her bidding. It's a really disgusting display, and she asks Betty if she's ever seen anything like it. Well...yeah. Betty has.
(But seriously, what kind of name is Dress Barn. I half expect a cow to come wandering through the store!)
It's quite funny how Betty sees the parallels between Veronica and Ashley, but yet Veronica is too oblivious to pick up on it. But that's not even the end of it because Veronica talks about how they were going to go to lunch and how Veronica settled on a restaurant in the food court. But Ashley wasn't keen on the idea of having a fish taco or a burrito.
Seriously, just stuff a grilled cheese sandwich in her mouth and be done with it. At least it'll keep her mouth shut for a little while. Something tells me that little Jughead never really had this issue.
But, Betty remembers that little Veronica had that issue once upon a time...here's the proof.
So, after all that, Veronica is incredibly disgusted by Ashley, and she actually kind of wonders what kind of a person she will be like when she becomes Veronica's age. Veronica already has this belief that Ashley will be so spoiled rotten that she will be beyond help. But after listening to Veronica complain about Ashley, Betty seems to believe that Ashley will be okay.
After all...if Veronica can at least recognize that Ashley's behaviour was bad (even though she doesn't realize that she was that bad herself), then that's part of the maturity coming through. And even though Veronica has her moments of being spoiled, she always had Betty as her best friend to keep her more grounded.
Maybe what Ashley needs is a best friend like Betty to do the same thing?
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