![\"Archie](\"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/outthere\/Archie%20Comics%20engagement.jpg\")
So who will <\/strong>the wrinkled redhead bring to bed — assuming he hasn’t already? <\/p>\nAs a fourth-grade student at Midwood, Brooklyn’s P.S. 238, I struggled with my carrot-top best friend, another Jeffrey, over who was Archie and who Reggie. (Jeffrey and I also shared the same weird middle name!) But as any constant Out There reader can anticipate, although I studied those comics hard to see which of the two I wanted to be, I was much more “interested” in the other light-dark pair, sunny blonde Betty and well-born brunette Veronica.<\/p>\n
In those dim times, little boys as well as big divided the world of girls (white girls, natch) into blondes, brunettes, and redheads. When we stuffed the corner-grocery cardboard ballot box with our choice for New York’s own Miss Rheingold, most of the votes were really for Kodacolor hair.<\/p>\n
Miss Rheingold, by the way, was a big deal. In 1959, total votes were over 22 million; only the presidential election drew more. Pre-Birds<\/em> Tippi Hedren, Hope Lange <\/p>\n \n All these years later, we finally know on whose hand Archie will place that ring. Any guesses? (Careful, spoiler follows.)<\/p>\n Not Betty’s!<\/p>\n And not Veronica’s!<\/p>\n Yes, turns out that I am Jughead, and Jughead, Archie’s betrothed, is happier than he ever thought possible.<\/p>\n Reggie is furious, as I always hoped he would be.<\/p>\nand even Grace Kelly<\/strike> were sometime candidates. (Grace Kelly was rejected for being “too thin.”)<\/p>\n![\"miss-rheingold-1953.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/outthere\/miss-rheingold-1953.jpg\")
<\/a><\/span>Anyway, all the boys divided our little-girl friends into Bettys and Veronicas. (Where is Debby Kinsbrunner now? She and I once had a date our mothers took us to, at the local NBC studio to be audience for the hot new quiz show, Hugh Downs’ Concentration<\/em>. Debby was a definite Betty.)<\/p>\n