A Peanuts Tale

Chapter 1: It's the Time of Our Lives, Charlie Brown!

Featuring: Good ol' Charlie Brown & Linus

Today was the last Saturday of summer break. The weather was like that of a nostalgic picture, a perfect capture of time in every way. Clear blue skies and mild temperatures were complemented with a nice summer breeze. For many kids and teens across the area, this was the moment for getting together and enjoying their youth. Yet for Charlie Brown, this was a most unhappy day.

"Oh boy, another great day to mock my misery."

The round headed boy was at the same concrete wall he had stood at in his childhood. Though in the past he could lean over the wall for support, now, in his teenage years, he could only sit on it. Charlie Brown had a look of resignation on his face, as if he was doomed and already knew it.

It just so happened that his best friend was walking down the street when he caught sight of Charlie Brown's dejected face. Compelled more so by conditioning than simply friendship at this time, Linus Van Pelt decided to do his best, once again, to try and help his best friend feel better.

"Why if it isn't Charlie Brown. How are you on this fine day if I may ask?"

"Oh, hey Linus." Linus detected a sigh escaping from the mouth of his friend before he talked back. "I actually haven't been very fine myself."

"Great, another one of these moments," Linus complained in his head.

Charlie Brown nor Linus had changed much since their childhood. Linus' hair was as scraggly as ever and the few hairs Charlie had tried to grow didn't make him look any less bald. The black zigzag design was still ever present on Charlie Brown etched on a yellow button up shirt and dark brown shorts were worn reaching just at his knees. Linus was sporting a red hoodie these days and khaki pants. Both friends had grown in height and weight, Linus being lanky and Charlie Brown average if now a slightly pudgy. Despite these bodily changes the two teens were still the same good kids at heart. Linus even kept the old blue blanket he had a child, only now leaving it in a backpack for safekeeping.

Linus sat down next Charlie Brown on the wall, taking his back off his shoulders and dropping it between his legs. He thought for a moment over what to say to his best friend. It was often that Linus came in at these kinds of times of worry in Charlie Brown's life and had to assist him in finding the positive side of things. Occasionally however, Linus was prone to becoming upset himself at having to constantly deal with his friend's troubles and today just so happened to be one of those days.

"Well lay it on me. Why not?" Linus suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"Why haven't you been fine? I mean, today's wonderful! If I were ever to witness a more pristine day with such miraculous weather to end summer on why, I must be a blessed man."

"Leave it to Linus to always find a spiritual side to things," Charlie Brown thought.

"Blessed? Well I don't feel very blessed right now."

"How can't you? A day like this at summer's end-"

"That's the thing Linus! Summer is ending!" Charlie Brown began standing while shouting his problems.

"After today there will be only one more day before we have to go back to school again. That makes another ten months before I get to enjoy summer again."

Linus' brows furrowed at his friend's statements before he responded. "So shouldn't you enjoy the good day you've been given now? Come on Charlie Brown, you've been like this every summer since first grade! You always miss out on some of the best experiences in life because you worry too much about the possibility of having bad experiences."

"You don't get it Linus! Last year was the start of my high school life. I had promised myself I was going to leave a good impression on the teachers, make plenty of new friends, join an extracurricular club, make it onto a sports team, and finally, finally get a girlfriend."

"You did set the bar pretty high," Linus commented.

"Maybe. But not even one, one of those promises happen! I nearly failed all of my classes and I met plenty of bullies who just love picking on me now. I couldn't find a single club that interested me, much less one where the members actually wanted me. Every tryout I went to ended up with the players and coaches laughing at me. To top it all off, there's not a single girl in the school willing to go near me unless they're playing a prank or are forced to be my partner in class. Face it Linus, I'm a washout: a wish washy loser."

Charlie Brown lowered his head down in shame. He had resigned himself to be the laughing stock of the school. In his mind, there wasn't one silver lining for him to take advantage of in his string of failures. In fact, he may as well have made his own web of doubts that he was now stuck in.

Linus observed Charlie Brown and contemplated his troubles. They had known each other for a long time, long enough for Linus to come to terms with the clouds of unhappiness that were cast over his friend's head every now and then. He knew of course that deep down Charlie Brown was actually one of the strongest people he'd ever known for he always kept trying even in the face of failure. Of course that didn't stop him from being a worrywart either although this was in part caused by the constant chastisement he received from his peers. Yet part of that worrying, the most dangerous part, came from the self-doubt in Charlie Brown's own heart. The constant anxiety that he had could prove to be self-destructive if left untreated and Linus knew that the only way for Charlie Brown to get over it was for his spirits to get a swift kick from a friend.

"Here we go again"

Knowing what he must do, Linus let out a small breath before he began to speak.

"Now listen to me, Charlie Brown! You indeed did have a rocky start in high school! It was't anywhere close to the best freshman years a student could have. In fact, out of all the freshman stories I've ever heard of, yours is in fact at the bottom of the barrel."

"Well geez Linus, thanks for the supp-"

"I wasn't done yet. Yes you were at the bottom of the barrel, but that just means you can only go up. Look Charlie Brown, life isn't some easy road to walk on. It's a cross country course through hills and valleys, forests and fields. Sometimes we run into a rough patch where it looks like the difficult times will never end. We get tired and feel downtrodden but we can't just stop. If we do we'll just end up alone and unchanging while everyone runs right by us. No, we have to keep going. No matter how disillusioned we get, we know that after every hard climb uphill there is an easy and relaxing run downhill. After every trek through dense woods there is always a clearing ahead. Enjoy the clearing that's been given to you know Charlie Brown and be thankful for it! After it's gone it's back into the rough patches we go. However, if you decide to pace yourself and keep moving rather than slow down to a halt you might yourself having a much more comfortable race."

It was only after finishing that speech that Linus realized he had been standing on top of the wall to speak in the heat of the moment. An air of silence settled around the boys before it was broken by the round headed teen.

"Wow Linus...that was...moving." Charlie Brown stood in awe at Linus' words.

"Yeah, well, I've only tried so many times-"

"No really, Linus! Your words, they really mean something, and I don't just mean like a dictionary definition. I never thought about my life that way, like a race. I always imagined it more like a baseball game, where you show up at home plate and show the world what you got. You hit it and you see where the ball goes. You strike out and it's all over. But it being a race changes everything. Sure there might be a first place but there aren't any real losers in a run. In a marathon I wouldn't be running to win, I'd be running for myself to show that I can do the things I put real work into. I can't just expect things to happen on the fly. I have to be proactive! I must take initiative!"

"Absolutely, Charlie Brown. Although I do emphasize the importance of setting your own pace-"

"I can't just expect walk out onto the football or baseball field and get onto the team. I have to practice and practice until I can't practice any more! I can't just make friends if I haven't gotten closer to the ones I already have so I'll have to work at deepening our friendships. I need to start studying extra hard too. Forget about weeknight fun and weekend relaxation, I've got to hit the books while I have the time. Huh, now that I think about it, if I study that much I'll leave out no time for my friends. Yet if I save some time for them there will be no time to practice sports! And if I do that-"

"That's enough!" Linus yelled in frustration at a distressed Charlie Brown.

"Calm down and PACE yourself. You don't have to do everything at the same time. The school is just about to start so don't worry about studying too much now until the material starts to add up. Tryouts are coming up soon but the days are still long so you have plenty of time to practice. If you want to focus on something now you can focus on your friends and helping me get ice cream before the day ends. I'm a little short on cash at the moment to be frank.'

A small smile grew on Charlie Brown's face. He was more than happy to know that still had someone behind his back ready to help him. Linus would always be a good man in Charlie Brown's eyes.

"Sure thing Linus. For all you've done buddy, free ice cream is the least I can do. Thanks for everything."

Linus gave a grin back. "No problem, man."

Linus picked up his bag while Charlie Brown collected himself. Before his friend could look at him, Linus unzipped his backpack and stuck his hand inside. He felt around for a bit before finding his old blanket. Softly, he grabbed it. A small wave of relaxation moved across the whole of Linus' body. As much as he pained to admit, Charlie Brown's own anxiety could get to him from time to time. Nevertheless, so long as he had his security blanket, Linus always had a way of finding his own sense of peace. Quickly, he zipped up the bag as his yellow clad friend turned to him. Feeling good he asked his friend, "So where shall we head off too for our desserts, Charlie Brown?"

The good ol' pal gladly answered back. "Wherever the course takes us, Linus."