Author's Note: I'll be the first to admit it, this isn't my best chapter, but I sort of do like it. It's sort of weird, but it does give some nice insight to Linus's thoughts. Anway, enjoy!
Linus stood with his best friend Charlie Brown at the old brick wall in the park. He listened to the sound of some of the younger kids flying kites, a joyful, sweet sound that starkly contrasted his thoughts.
"I don't know what I think, Charlie Brown," Linus said.
"What do you think you should think?" Charlie Brown replied. Linus considered this for a moment. There were so many things he felt he should be thinking and feeling. Happiness, excitement, anticipation, to name a few.
"I suppose I should be ecstatic, but, honestly, I feel anything but ecstatic. I mean, what if the dog goes after my b-blanket?" Linus explained, shuddering at the thought of his blanket being attacked.
"Well, what if it does?" Charlie Brown asked. "Would it really be such a bad thing? It's a very old blanket, it's as old as you. What would happen to you if the dog did get a hold of it?" Linus held up his blanket. The color was fading at the corners and it had a few, small, slightly off color patches. Maybe it was time for Linus's old, faithful friend to go into retirement.
"I think I'd have a heart attack," Linus admitted finally.
"I've often stayed awake at night, asking myself these sort of unanswerable questions," Charlie Brown sighed, leaning forward onto his arms, as if accepting a defeat.
"Don't beat yourself up over my problems, Charlie Brown," Linus said, although he was honored that his friend was so involved in his life.
"I'm not," Charlie Brown said. "I'm beating myself up over mine,"
"I see," Linus mumbled. He was beginning to see that Charlie Brown was not the best person to go to if you were seeking advice. He had one other place to search for advice, but he didn't really like it. However, it was his only other option.
"I'll see you later, Charlie Brown," Linus said as he began walking in the direction of the psychiatrist's booth.
Linus sat himself down on the little brown stool in front of the booth. Lucy was reading a magazine, not paying attention to the fact that she had a customer.
Linus cleared his throat. Lucy put down the magazine with a large, heaving sigh. She clasped her hands together and leaned forward.
"What can I help you with?" she asked.
"I, um, need some advice," Linus whimpered, fearing what his sister could do. Lucy leaned back in her chair, clearly interested in where this was going to go.
"What kind of advice?" Lucy asked.
"Well, I don't know what to think about a getting a dog. And I'm afraid of what the dog might do to my blanket," Linus admitted.
"I can solve both your problems with some simple advice. 1. Be less of a blockhead and 2. Get rid of that STUPID BLANKET!" Lucy explained, screaming the last part. Linus drew back in his seat.
"I was afraid you'd say that," he muttered. Lucy tugged at her winter hat which had come loose during her outburst. She glanced at her watch.
"Oops, looks like time's up! That'll be five cents, please," Lucy said. Linus shoved his hands in his pockets, fiddling for change. He pulled out two pennies.
"Do you have a friends and family discount?" he asked sheepishly.
"I oughta slug you," Lucy threatened. Linus sighed, put the two pennies in Lucy's can, then reached into his sock and pulled out three more pennies.
"How do you always know that I have change?" he asked.
"It's a sixth sense," Lucy bragged. She looked at her watch again, then turned the 'Doctor is in' to 'out', and then began to skip down the road.
"Where are you going?" Linus demanded.
"To Schroeder's house!" Lucy called. Linus sighed, then, realizing something, pulled his five pennies out of the can.
"Put 'em back!" Lucy called.
"How does she know?" Linus asked his blanket as he dropped the pennies back in. The blanket, unfortunately, did not respond.
"I always wonder what it would be like if you could talk back. I would like to imagine that you would be kind and would have some very nice insights into world issues, and life, and what would happen if my family got a dog." Linus told the blanket. "But, alas, you sit silently, listening to me talk about my problems. You're like a mute therapist."
Linus stared at the grass surrounding him. He didn't understand, in a world where his mother was letting the family get a dog, there wasn't snow on the ground two days before Christmas.
"Well, blanket, I suppose we should get going. I told Mom we'd be home by now," Linus sighed and slid off the stool.
