A World Without Charlie Brown (PART 5)

by HPDrummerman

Peppermint Patty and Marcie go cross-country to visit Charlie Brown in his new town. They are in for a surprise when they see him with his new friends. Back in Sparkyville, Lucy tries to find a new Charlie Brown for her to torment, but no one else will placate the fussbudget, or even tolerate her crabbiness and mean attitude like Charlie Brown did.

1. Chapter 1

A World Without Charlie Brown (Part 5)

CHAPTER 1: THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE CHARLIE BROWN

Sparkyville, USA, 4:30 PM

"Oh Fiiiiiiiiiiiive?"

Lucy was calling 5 over as she held the football like she did Charlie Brown. He walked over wondering what the fussbudget wanted.

"Come on, 5," she beckoned. "I'll hold the ball and you come running up and kick it." He looked at her and shook his head.

"You're kidding, right?" 5 finally said. "Just because Charlie Brown was gullible enough to fall for your stupid gag doesn't mean I, or anyone else, for that matter, will. Find another patsy, Lucy!" And he walked away.

"Good grief, that's the ninth one this week!" sighed Lucy.

5:00 PM

"And that's why you will be doomed to fail." Lucy was now talking to Pig Pen, who just laughed in her face. He was used to being called to dirty and dusty, but doomed to fail?

"Me? Doomed to fail?" he laughed. "I may be doomed to be dusty all my life, but fail? You must be missing Charlie Brown quite a bit. You need someone, besides your brothers, to kick when they're down. You are in a rut, Lucy!" And Pig Pen walked away, still laughing.

6:30 PM

"So you need to stop being wishy-washy and stand on your own two feet!" This time Lucy was talking to Frieda. She looked at her friend with concern.

"Are you okay, Lucy?" she asked. "Because this is me, Frieda, you're talking to. Your talking to me as if I were Charlie Brown. You must be missing him since he's moved away, and you're trying to fill the void he's left."

"I DON'T MISS THAT BLOCKHEAD ONE BIT!" Lucy screamed and she ran away angrily. Frieda sighed.

"Besides that, how can anyone with naturally curly hair be wishy-washy?' she shrugged.

Later at the Van Pelt household, Lucy was sulking. Linus walked up to his crabby sister to find out what's been going on with her.

"Everything okay, sis?" he asked.

"Does it look like I'm okay?!" Lucy snapped. "No one will listen to me! No one understands that I'm trying to make them see themselves for who they are. And nobody will attempt to kick the stupid football! Not like…"

"…Charlie Brown?" Linus finished.

"NO! I'm not… Oh who am I kidding? I admit it! Charlie Brown was perfect. He at least listen to me when I criticized him, he attempted to kick the ball, he was, well…"

"…your muse. Lucy, It's obvious. Aside from myself, no one has put up with your crabbiness and criticism more than Charlie Brown has. He let you talk down to him, even though he hated it. And now he's moved away and you have no one, besides me, but only because I'm your brother."

"Did I really drive him crazy?"

"Does Batman chase the Joker? Lucy, you, and some of the other girls, Violet and Patty, in particular, have taken him for granted. You thought he would be here forever, and you thought he would take being your scapegoat for as long as he could. Now, as Schroeder pointed out a while back ago, that scapegoat is gone, and now you're seeing that no one else will tolerate your crabbiness and bad attitude like Charlie Brown did. Well I better wash up. Mom said dinner will be ready soon." And Linus went to wash up. Lucy thought about what Linus had just said. Had she really took Charlie Brown for granted, and ruined a potentially good friendship with her actions?

NEXT CHAPTER: THE VISIT