I'll admit that my list isn't very big. I've only met members from a Canadian rock band (Wide Mouth Mason), as well as a couple of high-profile Canadian journalists. However, it's very much a thrill when you happen to come across someone who is well-known and who you idolize very much. It could be a pop star, a soap opera actor, or if you're lucky, even a movie star. I think we all have those moments where we all get star struck once in a while.
Certainly, Betty and Veronica do. In today's classic tale, we're going back nineteen years to the year 2000 where Betty has a chance to meet one of her idols. But when she tries to tell everyone that she really met him, and she has to rely on Veronica to prove it, it doesn't quite go as planned.
Interestingly enough, this story - which first appeared in "Betty and Veronica Double Digest #85" is football themed, so I could have put this tale in the spotlight on Super Bowl Sunday. It probably would have been more eventful than the actual Super Bowl based on some of the angry comments I read about it! But I already featured a story on that day, so in this case consider this a football bonus.
It's a story that is called "Name Game". And no, there's no Betty Betty bo Betty banana fanna fo Fetty me my mo Metty Betty action going on here. A lot of crossed wires, but no actual name game.
So, anyone who knows Mr. Lodge knows that he does business deals with various celebrities and public figures in hopes of selling more product, and Betty and Veronica just happen to be hanging around Lodge Mansion to overhear Mr. Lodge putting on an informal business meeting with a prospective new client. Betty is wondering who Mr. Lodge is meeting with, and Veronica explains that it's some retired football player. Of course, since Veronica doesn't care about football or any kind of sports related trivia, she wouldn't have the slightest clue as to who he is. Veronica is so inept at sports trivia that she thinks that Michael Jordan plays golf and that Babe Ruth scored touchdowns on the baseball diamond. Yeah, you know, I can't fault Veronica. I have zero interest in sports myself and would probably lose on Jeopardy if the Final Jeopardy answer was sports themed.
Anyway, Mr. Lodge finishes his meeting and heads to the front door with his special guest, whom Betty not only instantly recognizes but fawns over.
Okay, so I guess they can't get permission to use the real names of ALL athletes, because this is clearly supposed to be John Elway but for the sake of the story will be called Don Jellway. Anyway, John...ahem...Don is introduced by Mr. Lodge to Betty and Veronica, and Betty is absolutely bouncing up and down with excitement over meeting him. She says that Don is her favourite quarterback and has been a fan of his for years. She even thinks about trying to get his autograph, or even a picture of him to mark the moment down for posterity.
But because Don is in a hurry to catch his flight back home, he's out of the mansion and in his car before Betty can catch up with him. It's a bummer for Betty, but at least she can brag about meeting him to the guys. She even has Veronica to back up her story in case they doubt her. I just hope that Veronica can remember the guy's name.
Oh, Betty...you are so screwed.
The following afternoon at the Chocklit Shop, Betty is telling Chuck, Moose, and Reggie all about her meeting Don Jellway and how excited she was to meet him, but none of the three boys believe her. I guess it's probably because Betty doesn't have any physical proof, but even so, this is Betty we're talking about here. Why would she lie? Like ever. I mean, sure, Reggie is a slimeball sometimes and he is just stirring the pot, but why would Moose and Chuck be jerky about it?
And sadly for Betty, it just gets worse when Veronica enters the store. Betty is determined to prove to the guys that she did meet Don Jellway and she prods Veronica to confirm that her story holds up. But when Veronica can't seem to remember his name, it causes the three guys to make fun of Betty even more, and Betty is left dejected and alone.
At least, that is until Mr. Lodge happens to come by with a present for Betty. It seems as though he was talking to Mr. Jellway about how big of a fan Betty was, and he decided to do something nice for her.
I bet those guys are really eating crow now. Well, all except Moose who happens to have a weird looking goofy grin on his face. But still, it's nice that Don Jellway is a stand up guy who appreciates his fans. In a world in which some professional athletes make a ton of cash and sometimes develop huge egos, it's good to see some people who recognize the fact that their fans are the ones that made them who they are. Even though this IS a fictional tale.
And what a funny story from the perspective of Veronica. She clearly doesn't care about sports and it definitely shows...but she does care about Betty. I have to wonder if maybe she may have convinced Mr. Lodge to talk to Don, or John, or Juan, or whatever his name is.
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