Frieda's Apology
It had been a month since the Head Beagle incident. Frieda has not pestered Snoopy into chasing rabbits since reporting him to the Head Beagle. She had pretty much avoided the Brown household ever since that whole incident unfolded. The kids continued to shun her even after the fallout had died down. She was seen as a whistleblower and no one trusted her. In essence, SHE had become the outcast Charlie Brown himself was usually. Even Lucy, who herself has had a love-hate relationship with Snoopy, had commented that even if he was a stupid beagle even she would not have reported him to the Head Beagle. Frieda knew she had to make things right.
After school one day, Frieda decided to stop by Charlie Brown's place and apologize to them about reporting Snoopy. She knew she had to get back into their good graces and everyone else's as well. She nervously thought about what she was going to say when she got there. Snoopy probably wouldn't want to deal with her after she reported him and at worst, turn on her. And who could blame him? She found Linus standing around holding his blanket and sucking his thumb as he usually did. She decided to ask him for advice.
"Hey Linus," she greeted sadly.
"Oh, hi Frieda," Linus replied. "What's up?"
"I need your advice," she began. "I want to apologize to Charlie Brown about reporting Snoopy to the Head Beagle last month because he wouldn't chase rabbits with me. I've been trying to think about what to say and how to approach the situation. Do you have any advice on what to say?"
"Well," said Linus, "if you are truly sorry for what you did, as you should be, you need to speak from the heart. Tell that person how you feel. And in all honesty, you should be apologizing to Snoopy most of all. I don't get it. Sure all of us has had issues with Snoopy before. Whether it be Lucy getting kissed by him, dancing on Schroeder's piano when he's trying to practice, me grabbing my blanket and dragging me through all of the neighborhood, or even Charlie Brown himself dealing with his flights of fancy. But you of all of us has never really gotten along with Snoopy. You always criticized him, bought a cat to put him in his place, which, by the way, is lazier than he is, and when you reported him to the Head Beagle that may have been the final straw."
"I see," said Frieda, as if she was near tears.
"So not only do you have to apologize to Charlie Brown for reporting HIS dog to the Head Beagle," Linus finished, "but you have to apologize to Snoopy as well. And not only apologize to him; beg for his forgiveness!"
After Linus finished, Frieda continued towards Charlie Brown's house. When she got there she saw Snoopy on top of his doghouse typing on his typewriter. He was probably working on his "Next Big Novel". She went passed him and headed for the front door. She rang the doorbell and waited. Sally answered the door.
"Oh, hi Frieda," she said.
"Hey Sally," Frieda replied, looking down. "Is your brother home?"
"Yeah he's watching TV. I'll go get him." Sally walked over to Charlie Brown who was sitting in the beanbag watching cartoons. "Hey big brother," she began, "Frieda's here to see you."
"Frieda?" wondered Charlie Brown. "I haven't talked to her since she reported Snoopy to the Head Beagle. I wonder what she wants."
He walked towards the front door and saw the sad little girl with the naturally curly hair looking like she could burst into tears at any moment.
"Hello Frieda," said Charlie coldly. "So what do you want to talk to me about?"
"Hey Charlie Brown," she said, holding back tears. "I just w-wanted to say I-I'm sorry for reporting Snoopy to the Head Beagle. I-I didn't know what I was d-doing."
"I forgive you, Frieda," he said. "But you really need to apologize to Snoopy. HE was the one you reported and HE needs to hear this from you." They both walked to the backyard. Frieda was crying softly at this point. When they got there, Snoopy had finished a chapter in his novel. He looked at the page with satisfaction. Then he saw Frieda with Charlie Brown. He got nervous.
"Oh no!" he thought. "She's back! Is she going to report me to the Head Beagle again?! Why, oh why don't she leave me alone?"
"Snoopy," Charlie Brown began, "Frieda's got something she wants to tell you. Don't worry, I'll be right here if you need me. Go ahead, Frieda."
"S-S-Snoopy," she began, now sobbing uncontrollably, "I-I-I-I'm so s-s-s-sorry for reporting you to t-t-the Head Beagle. I will never ag-g-g-gain pester you to ch-ch-ch-chase rabbits! I also apologize for c-c-criticizing you and buying Faron just to p-put you in your place! P-Please forgive me!" By this time Frieda was inconsolable.
Snoopy thought about this and came up and hugged Frieda and kissed her on the cheek. Charlie Brown who watched this said, "I think he forgives you, Frieda."
"Oh thank you, Snoopy!" she sobbed. "And thank you, Charlie Brown! From now on I'll let you decide what's right for Snoopy! He is your dog and I never should've tried to force him into doing stuff he didn't want to do."
"That's all we ever wanted," Charlie Brown replied. "I know Snoopy isn't your conventional dog, but he will decide if he wants to chase rabbits. HE'LL decide if he wants to be a normal dog. And HE'LL decide if he eats too much. I wouldn't count on it, though."
"Okay, Charlie Brown," Frieda said, now wiping her tears away. "I get it now. I always had it in my head what a beagle was supposed to do for a long time, but never considered letting the owner decide what's best. Are we good?"
"Yeah," he said. "We're good."
"Thank you, Charlie Brown," she said and gave him a kiss on the cheek, causing him to blush. "I'll see you guys later."
After Frieda left, Charlie Brown looked at his watch. "Good grief! In all of the excitement I forgot it's time for your supper. I'll be right back, Snoopy!" And with that, Charlie Brown grabbed Snoopy's supper dish and ran into the house to prepare his supper.
THE END
