Preamble: This time, we're taking a look at a previously untold tale from the gang's senior year at Riverdale High, the story of a blind shoe salesman dealing with discrimination, depression, and despair, all at once. All characters copyright Archie Comics, save for new characters created for this story.
Chapter 1:
When Fashionably Smart Shoes opened in downtown Riverdale in the winter of 2014, it served as a complement to New Dimensions Fashions just down the street. Owner Jonathan Thurman employed three salesmen, his sons Jon, Jr. & Nick, and Nathan Crisp, 38, who at the time of the store's opening was married to Thurman's daughter, Muriel.
On February 16, the Crisps were on their way home from a dinner date when their car skidded off the road, and crashed into a pair of trees in a nearby wooded area. Muriel was pronounced dead at the scene. Nathan survived, but fate was exceptionally cruel. He went blind as a result of the accident. Jonathan Thurman, Sr. hired an investigator to look into the accident, and discovered that there had been an oil spill that had not been cleaned up, the result of neglect on the part of county employees. After two months of rehabilitation, Nathan returned to work, usually assisted by Nick or JJ. The girls of New Dimensions, with the notable exceptions of Midge Klump and Veronica Lodge, were regular customers. Midge couldn't take a chance on poor Nathan drawing the anger of her beau, Marmaduke "Moose" Mason, while Veronica preferred custom designed shoes & sneakers the Thurmans couldn't afford to import from overseas.
===================================
In November, after Veronica and Betty Cooper had left for a foreign exchange program in Europe, Nathan ran into a problem he wasn't prepared for.
On Veteran's Day, November 11, Nick waited on Lesley & Linda Ellis, the twin daughters of Lucinda Ellis, the influential president of the ladies auxillary of the First Reformed Church of Riverdale. At the same time, Nathan & JJ were attending to Sabrina Spellman, who was buying a new pair of shoes for a pending holiday dance at Riverdale High, scheduled for December 20. As Nathan palmed the soles of Sabrina's nylon-covered feet, she reached out to him, and put his hand in hers.
"There is no need for that right now.", she whispered. "We have some unfriendly company on the other side.", referring to the Ellis twins.
"S-s-s-s-sorry.", Nathan stammered. "But thank you. You are so kind."
Sabrina paid for her purchase, and departed 10 minutes later, leaving Nathan a business card for the Victory Garden, the vegetarian restaurant her aunts owned. Aunt Zelda was interested in helping Nathan get over his loss after 9 months of mourning. The card was printed in braille, especially for Nathan. As she left, she warned Jonathan, Sr., who was at the counter, about the twins.
"Nate's been kinda uncomfortable waiting on certain customers since Muriel died.", he said. "The Ellis sisters and their mother are nothing but trouble. Always trying to dig up dirt on me and on my boys, but so far, they haven't been able to make anything stick."
"Maybe next time, Mr. Crisp can use one of the fitting rooms to work with me or any of my co-workers, out of danger.", Sabrina suggested.
"Hmm, there's plenty of room in those kiosks, Sabrina. You might have something there."
==================================
Zelda, with Sabrina's help, had arranged for Nathan to be her date for the Riverdale High Christmas Pageant on December 21, while Hilda would be with her steady, assistant principal Thomas Kraft. However, when they reached Nathan's house, Sabrina noticed it'd been boarded up.
"This is the address, right, Aunt Hilda?", she asked.
"Yes, it is, but why is it boarded? He couldn't have moved out."
"He didn't. He was forced out earlier today."
The speaker was Lucius Malone, a neighbor.
"Poor Nate was carted out of here in handcuffs. City's coming to empty the apartment tomorrow. Poor guy's going to have a lonely Christmas in jail."
"Jail?" Zelda repeated. "What did he do?"
"Inappropriate sexual contact with a minor. Swears up and down he didn't do anything, but the cops ain't buying."
"Was this an anonymous tip?", Tom asked.
"Yes, according to the arresting officer. Seems the building owner was in a mad hurry to get him outta here."
"The owner wouldn't happen to be Lucy Ellis, would it?"
"Why, that's right! How did you know?"
"Her daughters are habitual liars.", Kraft replied. "Their mom was unsuccessful in gaining a seat on the school board, so they're running a smear campaign against the Thurmans and anyone associated with them. JJ Thurman beat her in a run-off election two weeks ago. I'd like to see those two girls serve time in detention or a suspension, but their mom would raise a fuss."
=================================
With Riverdale High starting a two week Christmas vacation, Sabrina was back at work the next day at New Dimensions. Around 2 pm, Nick Thurman rushed in.
"Sabrina? You've got to come over. We've got a problem!"
"What sort of problem?", she asked.
"Lucy Ellis and her brats have struck again. Now, they're taking my dad to jail!"
===============================
To be continued.
Chapter 1:
When Fashionably Smart Shoes opened in downtown Riverdale in the winter of 2014, it served as a complement to New Dimensions Fashions just down the street. Owner Jonathan Thurman employed three salesmen, his sons Jon, Jr. & Nick, and Nathan Crisp, 38, who at the time of the store's opening was married to Thurman's daughter, Muriel.
On February 16, the Crisps were on their way home from a dinner date when their car skidded off the road, and crashed into a pair of trees in a nearby wooded area. Muriel was pronounced dead at the scene. Nathan survived, but fate was exceptionally cruel. He went blind as a result of the accident. Jonathan Thurman, Sr. hired an investigator to look into the accident, and discovered that there had been an oil spill that had not been cleaned up, the result of neglect on the part of county employees. After two months of rehabilitation, Nathan returned to work, usually assisted by Nick or JJ. The girls of New Dimensions, with the notable exceptions of Midge Klump and Veronica Lodge, were regular customers. Midge couldn't take a chance on poor Nathan drawing the anger of her beau, Marmaduke "Moose" Mason, while Veronica preferred custom designed shoes & sneakers the Thurmans couldn't afford to import from overseas.
===================================
In November, after Veronica and Betty Cooper had left for a foreign exchange program in Europe, Nathan ran into a problem he wasn't prepared for.
On Veteran's Day, November 11, Nick waited on Lesley & Linda Ellis, the twin daughters of Lucinda Ellis, the influential president of the ladies auxillary of the First Reformed Church of Riverdale. At the same time, Nathan & JJ were attending to Sabrina Spellman, who was buying a new pair of shoes for a pending holiday dance at Riverdale High, scheduled for December 20. As Nathan palmed the soles of Sabrina's nylon-covered feet, she reached out to him, and put his hand in hers.
"There is no need for that right now.", she whispered. "We have some unfriendly company on the other side.", referring to the Ellis twins.
"S-s-s-s-sorry.", Nathan stammered. "But thank you. You are so kind."
Sabrina paid for her purchase, and departed 10 minutes later, leaving Nathan a business card for the Victory Garden, the vegetarian restaurant her aunts owned. Aunt Zelda was interested in helping Nathan get over his loss after 9 months of mourning. The card was printed in braille, especially for Nathan. As she left, she warned Jonathan, Sr., who was at the counter, about the twins.
"Nate's been kinda uncomfortable waiting on certain customers since Muriel died.", he said. "The Ellis sisters and their mother are nothing but trouble. Always trying to dig up dirt on me and on my boys, but so far, they haven't been able to make anything stick."
"Maybe next time, Mr. Crisp can use one of the fitting rooms to work with me or any of my co-workers, out of danger.", Sabrina suggested.
"Hmm, there's plenty of room in those kiosks, Sabrina. You might have something there."
==================================
Zelda, with Sabrina's help, had arranged for Nathan to be her date for the Riverdale High Christmas Pageant on December 21, while Hilda would be with her steady, assistant principal Thomas Kraft. However, when they reached Nathan's house, Sabrina noticed it'd been boarded up.
"This is the address, right, Aunt Hilda?", she asked.
"Yes, it is, but why is it boarded? He couldn't have moved out."
"He didn't. He was forced out earlier today."
The speaker was Lucius Malone, a neighbor.
"Poor Nate was carted out of here in handcuffs. City's coming to empty the apartment tomorrow. Poor guy's going to have a lonely Christmas in jail."
"Jail?" Zelda repeated. "What did he do?"
"Inappropriate sexual contact with a minor. Swears up and down he didn't do anything, but the cops ain't buying."
"Was this an anonymous tip?", Tom asked.
"Yes, according to the arresting officer. Seems the building owner was in a mad hurry to get him outta here."
"The owner wouldn't happen to be Lucy Ellis, would it?"
"Why, that's right! How did you know?"
"Her daughters are habitual liars.", Kraft replied. "Their mom was unsuccessful in gaining a seat on the school board, so they're running a smear campaign against the Thurmans and anyone associated with them. JJ Thurman beat her in a run-off election two weeks ago. I'd like to see those two girls serve time in detention or a suspension, but their mom would raise a fuss."
=================================
With Riverdale High starting a two week Christmas vacation, Sabrina was back at work the next day at New Dimensions. Around 2 pm, Nick Thurman rushed in.
"Sabrina? You've got to come over. We've got a problem!"
"What sort of problem?", she asked.
"Lucy Ellis and her brats have struck again. Now, they're taking my dad to jail!"
===============================
To be continued.