Chapter Three: Old Friends.
The reunion that began weeks later at the house of Shermy and Patty Brooks turned out better than Charlie could have planned.
Arriving in town on the afternoon train, which he preferred, Charlie was met at the railroad station by his parents and a radiant Violet Gray. They bundled him up and hustled him away to his old room prepared for his visit in the house of his parents.
Violet had kept in touch with her childhood friends, Shermy and Patty, after graduation. She had been present at their wedding, and she had a standing invitation to drop over any time she wished. Violet phoned the Brookses in advance, telling them of Charlie's visit, and asked if Charlie and she could come over for a visit. She received an enthusiastic "yes!"
Patty had always liked Charlie Brown as much as childhood and peer pressure would permit, and Shermy had been on his ball team forever. They had shared Violet's impatient frustration at Charlie's former moping and self-pitying gloom, but they'd never shared in their other friends' cruelty toward him. Shermy had always accepted Charlie just as he was, and Patty, sometimes roughly, prodded him to improve himself.
Charlie and Violet arrived that Saturday morning. It would be the first contact they'd had with Charlie since his disappearance on prom night. Violet hadn't divulged the whole purpose for Charlie's sudden reappearance, the better to pull off the surprise. He wanted to reacquaint himself with several other friends, and Shermy and Patty had stayed in touch with all of them. A visit with the Brookses would help Charlie to catch up on some gossip, plus it would give him a line on how he could locate those other friends.
Shermy and Patty lived in a spacious, comfortable house in a respectable, secluded suburban neighborhood. The wrought-iron fence opened into a wide driveway, and inside an airy, capacious, well-lit living room greeted their frequent guests. With a sizeable down-payment and a timely low-interest loan, the young couple had achieved middle-class status relatively early.
"Well, look at you!" Shermy boomed, as Charlie came in wearing his uniform.
Shermy Brooks, a tall, thin, dark-haired bespectacled young man in his middle twenties, grinned happily.
"I guess I don't have to ask what you've been up to!" he said, indicating the uniform. He shook Charlie's hand vigorously, with a grip fortified by nostalgia.
Charlie looked around the living room: Toys lay strewn on the floor, and a playpen creaked and trembled with its unruly resident, the three year old Brendan, while another smaller citizen, the newborn Laura, lay asleep in Patty's arms.
"I guess I don't have to ask you, either."
They all laughed, as Patty greeted him with a kiss on the cheek.
"Welcome home, Charlie!" she cried. "Excuse the mess."
She crossed to the crib, placed close to the playpen, and laid the sleeping baby in the crib next to her older brother playing in the pen. Brendan stared at his sleeping sister, fascinated by the strange creature.
Patty Miller Brooks had known both men and Violet since they were nearly babies. She wore her naturally blond hair in a short bob with bangs over her gleaming blue eyes. Clad in a casual housedress, she still looked to Charlie as he had always remembered her. While her childish vanity, her selfishness and aggressiveness had faded with her adolescence, Patty's ambition and drive remained. The tightly-run household bore her efficient fingerprints.
"Welcome home," she repeated.
"It's just for a while," Charlie said. "Just 'til I get my orders. Then, who knows where I'll be?" Shermy handed him a cup of coffee.
"What's your story?" Charlie asked them, taking the cup and sitting next to Violet.
"We married right out of high school," Shermy explained, his hand reaching for Patty. "Although you could say we've been married for many years before that."
Shermy kissed his wife in an offhand, casual way that made Charlie smile.
"You two did seem to be made for each other," Charlie agreed. "I remember when we were growing up, there was always a lot of speculation about who would marry whom; a regular matchmaking circle! It was easy to imagine you two together."
"Yes, Shermy asked me to marry him on the night of the prom," Patty said, eyeing Charlie sympathetically at the mention of that night.
They all knew.
"It was hard for a while," she continued, letting that story wait for now. "We both planned to go on to college, and we did. The babies interrupted me, but they didn't stop me."
"I took an accelerated CPA course," Shermy said, "and I got on with Bristow, Brown and Julius, even before I graduated. Been there ever since then."
"Wonderful!" Charlie exclaimed. "I'm happy things worked out for you."
"Not without our working it ourselves," Patty reminded them.
"I went to night school to finish my degree," she said, as the friends came and sat around the coffee table. Her expression grew serious.
"Shermy watched the kids at night while I was at school, and I did it during the days, while he worked. They were our responsibility Charlie, and we didn't want anyone else to raise them. It was hard work, and we had to make sacrifices, but it was worth it. I do some work at home now, over the Internet, when these savages will let me." She smiled. "As soon as they're ready for school, I'll try to go back to work full-time."
"Do you still fool around with your tools, Shermy?" Charlie asked him.
"When I have the time," he answered, glancing at Patty. "I've got a shop set up in the garage where I make things and fix things: bookshelves, toys and the like. I've taken a few appliances apart, too. I also rigged up our hi-fi, and I built our computer from a kit. I'll show it to you, sometime."
"It seems like you two've got it together," Charlie said.
"How about you, Charlie?" Shermy asked. "I know you're getting your commission, but what then? Are you planning on a career in the Army?"
"I haven't decided that yet," he said, evasively.
"And what about your personal life?" Patty asked, sidling closer to Charlie.
Shermy frowned fondly, touching his wife's arm.
"Now, honey," he chided, "don't let's pry; that's why they call it 'personal.'"
"But we're friends!" Patty cried, looking to Charlie for his permission.
"It's all right, Shermy," Charlie said, grinning. He glanced at Violet, who agreed. "I don't mind talking about it."
"Well then," Shermy said, getting comfortable and brimming with curiosity, "spill, spill!"
"As you can already guess," Charlie began, still grinning, "Violet and I have patched up our differences."
Patty turned to Violet, reaching for her hand.
"You mean all about…?"
"Yes, Charlie and I talked it over," Violet broke in gently, "and we've decided to put it all in the past."
"Something tells me there's more," Shermy hinted, with anticipation.
"Yes, Shermy, there is," Charlie said. "Violet and I have become 'involved,' is the expression, and we're making long-term plans," he said, deftly avoiding the dreaded word.
Somewhere in the Ether, there is a law among women that all men must marry sooner or later.
"Are you telling us...?" Patty demanded, overjoyed.
"We're not saying the words, yet," Violet answered, glancing at Charlie. "We don't want to jinx it!"
He took her hand.
"We're not saying them, but my friends, we are thinking them!"
"Well, old man, this is news!" Shermy said, rising. The others followed his lead. "I had to wonder when you two came in together." He shook Charlie's hand again with boisterous affection, and then he hugged Violet. Charlie hugged Patty, impulsively kissing her lips.
"Oh," he said, embarrassed, "I beg your pardon, Patty!"
"It's okay," she said, clinging to him, "I'm so happy for you both!" Patty continued to embrace Charlie, to his mild discomfort.
"Now, that'll be enough of that!" Shermy said, poking Charlie playfully. He was secure in his marriage, and he could allow a little friendliness. Violet, a little less good-naturedly, drew Charlie back to her side. Shermy slipped his arm around his wife's slim waist.
"Look at us," Shermy remarked, happily, "the four of us here. I've known all of you since we were babies! We were there at the beginning, just us four, remember? And now look how far we've come. How do you like that?"
"There aren't too many friendships that can last this long," Violet said, stroking Patty's hand. They held their hands together for a while, and then Patty gave Violet an affectionate squeeze, excused herself and went into the kitchen. The others resumed sitting.
"She's a great girl," Shermy said, watching her exit, contented. "I don't know what I'd have been without her, guys. I've gotten most of the credit for where we are, Charlie, but really, it's been Patty who's held us all together. True story."
"Who else have you visited?" Patty asked from the kitchen, returning with more coffee. She sat beside Charlie again with a teasing leer at her husband, rubbing in Charlie's kiss.
"Well, I've only just arrived," Charlie admitted. "You were first on my list."
Patty and Shermy held hands and they both smiled.
"How's Sally doing now?" Shermy asked. Charlie Brown's sister had pestered them all since she was a baby, and the affection for young children never faded.
"We've hardly seen her," he added, disappointed.
"She's gone off to college," Charlie said, beaming. "She was accepted at Minnesota."
"You must be so proud," Patty said.
"I am. Sally had a rough childhood." Charlie shook his head. "She was sure young at the wrong time."
"Tough times don't last, Charlie," Patty said, touching his arm reassuringly, "tough people do!"
"Did you know about 'Pig-Pen'?" Violet asked, anxious to get back into the conversation.
"No! What happened to him?" They all asked.
As a member of the "in" group, she had access to much gossip.
"He went to law school," Violet revealed. "He'll be taking his bar exam soon."
"'Pig-Pen' went to law school?" Shermy asked, derisively. "Am I the only one who thinks that makes sense?"
"Shermy!" his wife scolded, "he's your friend!"
"Love Biscuit, if you can't mock your friends, whom can you mock?"
"Let's try to get in touch with him," Charlie told Violet, who agreed. "You have his number, right?"
She nodded in answer, took a pad out of her purse and wrote herself a note.
"Violet," Patty asked her, "why don't you two look Schroeder up, too? I have his number around here somewhere. I know he'd be glad to see you."
"Oh, does he still live in Meadow Brook?" Violet asked Patty, looking up from her writing. "I didn't know that."
Patty, sipping her coffee, nodded and turned to Shermy.
"Sweetheart," she said between sips, "I think I left that slip of paper with his new number on it over there by the phone; will you get it for me?" She pointed vaguely in the direction of the phone on its table, and Shermy rose to fetch it.
"I'll get it, my little Love Biscuit!" he said as he left to get it. "See how hen-pecked I am?" Shermy quipped to his friends. It was clear to everyone that he didn't mind at all. He disappeared for a moment and the others continued chatting.
Violet smirked furtively to Charlie about Shermy's pet name for Patty. He shrugged.
"I'm sorry to say I didn't know his number, myself," she confessed. "I guess after high school we two must have lost touch."
"That's understandable," Patty said, shrugging also.
"Here you go, Charlie," Shermy said, returning. He pointed at the number, neatly printed in Patty's hand. "Call him here; he'll be there during the day."
Shermy sat on the sofa arm, holding Patty's hand.
"What tricks the world plays on us!" Charlie said, taking the slip. He folded it with one hand and tucked it into his shirt pocket.
"We all wondered what our lives would be like when we were kids. None of us had any idea what we wanted to be. Nobody knew where our paths would take us, except for him. Schroeder always seemed to know what he wanted to do. He always seemed pointed toward his goal in life."
"And he did it, too," Patty said proudly, sipping her coffee.
"He was a virtuoso on the piano at an early age, remember?" she said, "a real pro! He performed with the Meadow Brook Orchestra when he was only seventeen, Charlie. Seventeen! He didn't even go to college. They couldn't teach him anything, and anyway, the Orchestra hired him right out of high school. How do you like that?"
Patty's happiness for her friend showed that she regarded success, especially after struggle, to be the highest virtue. Achieving one's dreams in spite of great odds always earned Patty's respect.
"What's he like now? Is he happy?" Charlie wanted to know. To him, whether someone was happy always counted for more than how successful they were.
"I don't know, really," Shermy answered, looking to Patty for a suggestion.
"Although we have seen a lot of him over the years," Shermy added, "especially since the kids came. But there was always a side of him he kept to himself."
Shermy shrugged.
"He always was a strange one, Charlie; a real loner. The piano was his life, you know. He lost himself in his music. Why, you take away the millions of hours he practiced on that thing and the baseball games, and I'll bet his life was pretty empty."
"Oh, I don't know. I'm sure he's had some girlfriends," Violet said, putting her cup down.
"You know how it is with musicians; girls go crazy for them!"
"So that's where I went wrong!" Shermy said, earning a poke from his wife.
"You like sleeping on the couch, do you?"
"Maybe," Shermy said, pointing to the babies, "but there's the proof that you don't like me on the couch!" He roared with laughter, and Patty reached affectionately for his hand again.
"Now, cut it out, you two," Charlie said, smiling, "you'll give married life a good name!"
"Seriously though, Charlie," Shermy said, settling down, "have you given any more thought to your…plans?"
"Yes, we have," he answered, looking to Violet.
"We don't have anything to announce yet, but we will have soon. Violet and I would sure like both of you to be there with us, but I haven't decided who's going to be what, yet."
"I get it," Shermy said, looking thoughtful. "I can see why you'd want to be careful. You risk making a few people happy, and lots of others unhappy."
"Something like that," Charlie said, relieved. He missed being with people who understood how his mind worked.
"Charlie, Violet," Patty said, "I hope you know how much we care for both of you, and that we'll be glad to help in any way we can."
Shermy nodded vigorously.
"You bet," he said. He stood up, and they all followed.
"Violet, you haven't been pushing him, have you?" Patty asked.
Violet shook her head.
"No, don't worry about that, Patty. When Charlie's ready then it'll be on, and no sooner. As far as we're concerned, though, we're engaged. I can wait."
"But not too long," Charlie added, keeping their running joke going.
"You two look like you've got something really great," Shermy said, slapping Charlie's muscular shoulder. He nodded, impressed.
"I'm glad to see you so happy!" Patty told Charlie again, her eyes shining. "I mean both of you, of course."
"I wouldn't be happy at all, if it weren't for Violet," Charlie said, holding her closer. The truth was that Charlie enjoyed every chance he could get to hold her close.
"Speaking of giving romance a good name…" Shermy said, drawing another poke from Patty.
"We'd better be going, you two," Charlie said, drifting toward the door.
"Couldn't you stay for dinner?" Patty asked, her eyes hopeful.
"Not tonight Patty," Charlie said, giving her a hug, "but soon. We have too much to do today. Tomorrow, maybe. Soon, I promise."
Violet pulled Charlie away from Patty.
"We really are booked for a while," said Violet. "My parents want to grill Charlie tonight."
"Don't let them cook you too long, pal!" Shermy said.
"You don't have to call," Patty said, as they left, "just come over!"