Abby typed "Edward Schroeder" on Google and soon a long list of websites and videos appeared.

"Uhm… piano player?" asked Abby.

"Really? Let me see" I said, turning the laptop to myself.

I clicked on the link 'Edward Schroeder's Website' and the picture of a blond man sitting at his piano appeared in front of me. There he was.

"Born in St. Paul… New Englang Conservatory of music… international masterclasses… wow. He loved playing piano and was good at it but I didn't know that he now is a great player!"

The photogallery showed pictures of him playing in Chicago, New York, London, Vienna, Milan…

"Let's listen to him playing something" said Abby clicking on Videos.

"Cole Porter, Gershwin, Brahms, Beethoven… click on Beethoven, he loved him" I said.

Abby clicked on the video and we listened silently to the Piano Sonata number 7. And yes, as a child he had been good but definitely not as good as now. I had to buy a CD of his, I thought.

He still played in the same way, curled on his piano, even if his piano was not a little one anymore.

"Well, this is not really my thing but… wow!" said Jim, impressed. "Think about it, dad. You listened to him for free and now he's giving concerts all over the world. Is there an email or something?"

I clicked on contacts and found Schroeder's agent's email. I worte a short message :

Dear Sir

My name is Charles Brown and I am an old childhood friend of the pianist Edward Schroeder. We were classmates in Saint Paul, MN. I am organising a reunion with our old childhood friends and I would like to invite Schroeder as well. Could you please let him read this email? You can also find me at this telephone number…

I didn't write about Pig Pen, I didn't like to give such news with an email.

"Well, I hope he's going to answer" I said.

OOO

"Ok, let's go with the second, Peppermint Patty" said Linda.

I wrote 'Patricia Reichardt' on the laptop and many results appeard. None of them seemed to fit, though.

I thought briefly : "What do we do now ? Maybe her father still lives in Battle Creek…"

"Dad, look!" said Abigail, excited. She turned the laptop to me. She had written 'Peppermint Patty' and the first result of her research was now 'Peppermint Patty's Gym' in Duluth.

I clicked on the link of this large gym offering many different activities. I clicked on contacts and the picture of a young looking woman with freckles and a prominent nose appeared.

"That's Peppermint Patty, no doubt !" I said with a laugh.

"Look, it's still open tonight, we could try to call" said Abby.

I composed the number and after a moment a feminine voice answered but I could tell from the first syllable that this wasn't Peppermint.

"Peppermint Patty's gym, this is Marquez. How can I help you ?"

I cleared my throat : "Hello, I am Charles Brown, an old childhood friend of Patty. I would like to talk to her if I may"

There was a short pause, then she asked: "Are you Chuck?"

My whole family looked at me, bewildered.

"That would be me, yes!"

"And you owned a dog called Snoopy and played as a pitcher, right? Patty told me a lot of things about you"

Linda looked not very pleased about that but luckily Ms Marquez went on : "I'm Jessica, Patty's girlfriend. She's not here anymore tonight but I can give you her private telephone number. She would love to hear from you"

I wrote down the number, still taken aback from this news.

I bade goodbye to Jessica and noticed that everyone was looking at me.

"Chuck?" said Jim.

"Yes, she was always calling me that. And she called Lucy ‚Lucille' "

" I thought she had a crush on you" said Abby with a smile.

" Abigail, we were children!" I sighed.

I composed the number Jessica had given me and soon a raspy voice answered.

"Hello, this is Reichardt?"

"I am Charlie Brown" I answered simply.

There was a pause, then Patty burst into laughter, her voice booming in our living room.

"CHUCK! I can't believe it! Jeeeez, I haven't heard from you in centuries! How are you? Who gave you my number?"

"I am fine. I called the gym and Jessica gave me your number after I told her who I was…"

"Yeah, she's heard a lot about you. What do you do, still living in St. Paul?"

"Yes. I am an accountant, twenty years in the same business… I'm married and have two teenage children"

"Wow, that's great! Well, you know about me, I moved to Duluth and opened a gym. No surprises there, huh?"

"No, you've always been an athlete. Look, I am calling for a reason…"

"Well, go on"

"I am very sorry to tell you that Pig Pen has died"

There was a longer pause this time. Then "It was the drugs, wasn't it?". She was very quiet now.

"Yes, it was the drugs."

Patty sighed heavily. "Chuck, he was constantly high when we were teenagers. I tried to help, we all did. I must say I am surprised that he didn't die before. At the time I feared that he wouldn't have reached 20".

"You see, after hearing about his death I thought that I haven't talked with many of you childhood friends for years. Then my daughter suggested that maybe I could organize a reunion around Christmas. Something to remember Pig Pen too, you know?"

"Then you're lucky because I'm coming home. Last year we went to Jessica's in Oklahoma. Sweet idea, by the way. What would you like to organize?"

"Uhm, maybe a dinner together just before Christmas. Spouses invited, of course"

"Well, let me know when and where, will you ?"

"Of course. Do you still keep contact with Marcie?"

"You mean the teacher Mrs Greene? Yes, she lives in Blooomington"

"Teacher? Not surprising too!" I mused.

"Yeah, I could've told you that the very moment I met her. She's teaching at an elementary school in Bloomington. Do you need her number?"

"Yes, but… well, if she's married it would be weird to call and say ‚yes, I'm some old friend from almost forty years ago, you know…"

"Nick is not like that. But if you want I can call her and give her your number.

"And what about Franklin?" I asked, hoping that she had kept contact with him as well.

"Franklin has a restaurant with his brother. The Armstrong Brothers' Summit Restaurant in St. Paul"

We looked at each other in astonishment: we had eaten there many times and liked it a lot!

"Franklin owns that restaurant?! I had no idea!"

"Course he does. I always drop by when I visit my dad in town. His wife makes the best cheesecake ever"

"And you? Are you still in contact with some oft he old childhood friends?" she asked then.

"Only with Linus" I answered.

"Linus was the guy with the blanket, right?" she asked. Linda smiled but Abby and Jim looked at me with confusion in their eyes.

"Yes, even if he's given up the blanket a long time ago"

"The weirdest guy I've ever met but a fine baseball player" she commented shortly.

"And today I found out that my former catcher Schroeder has become a music star" I added.

"Chuck, did you really miss the posters that said 'Great pianist Edward Schroeder playing in his hometown' last year?" Patty asked in shock.

"I'm afraid I did..." I answered shaking my head.

"Oh, you're helpless! My father didn't miss it for sure. He went to Park Square Theatre to listen to him, even if he's not that fan of classical music. Well, Chuck, it has been good to hear from you. Call me when you've decided about the meeting, will you?"

After I closed the communication Jim said "And I thought Abby was an earthquake"

"If Abby is an earthquake, Patty ist he Armageddon" I mused.

"What is the blanket?" asked Jim.

"Linus used to bring a blanket with him when he was a child. It was his security blanket, he said"

"So I'm not the first one thinking he's weird" said Jim with wide eyes.

We were about to go on when my phone rang.

"Hello, Charles" said Marcie's voice.