CHAPTER 2: REACTIONS AND REFLECTIONS

Linus had told the gang he had talked to Charlie Brown and his experience thus far in Kansas City. Reactions varied from person to person. Schroeder was happy that Charlie Brown was finally being seen as the nice guy and not a stain on society like many of the kids in Sparkyville did. Pig Pen also was glad that Charlie Brown was getting some respect, for once. Peppermint Patty and Marcie were proud of their former crush. Franklin knew Charlie Brown would be successful one day and was happy that he was. Frieda was relieved that he was being treated nice in his new town. But three were annoyed by his newfound success.

Lucy always thought he was a loser and a failure. So when a failure like Charlie Brown is a success, something is wrong with the world. Violet and Patty (Swanson) were more accepting, though it didn't sway their overall hatred for him, Violet, in particular. While she could accept Charlie Brown being a success, she still loathe him with every fiber of her body. The sad thing was, she completely forgotten why she hated him so much in the first place.

One day, the gang were at school hanging out during lunch. Charlie Brown's new life in Kansas City was the topic of choice.

"So he has a girl interested in him now, eh?" said Pig Pen.

"Yeah, and unlike the little red-haired girl, she approached him and told him that she liked him," said Linus.

"Who would have thought Charlie Brown would actually have a girlfriend?" said a bewildered Violet.

"Don't forget he did have Peggy Jean," said Schroeder. "The girl he met at camp?"

"Yeah, but she left him for another boy," Violet added.

"He also has other new friends, plus Charlotte Braun, who some of you may remember, also lives in Kansas City," said Linus.

"Charlotte is there too?!" asked Patty (Swanson).

"She was the one with the 100 decibel voice, right?" said Schroeder remembering her.

"That would be her," Linus responded.

"How was he able to get new friends?" asked a still-unbelieving Lucy. "How could a wishy-washy loser like Charlie Brown be able to get friends, AND a potential girlfriend to boot. Peggy Jean was a dummy, so I can see how he could be her boyfriend. They were blockheads in love. But anyone else?!"

"Maybe it's because he doesn't have the same toxic atmosphere there that he had here!" Schroeder retorted. "Think about it. Every waking day of his life here he was told by his peers that no one could ever love him, and that he was a loser. Especially by you three girls!" And he pointed to Lucy, Violet, and Patty. "As bad as everyone else was to him, myself included at times, YOU THREE were the worst of all of us! At least the rest of us would see the ramifications of our actions and how we treated him, you STILL think of him as a loser. Well guess what? Your scapegoat is gone and possibly never coming back! Who are you going to blame when we lose some baseball games?! Who is going to put up with your constant put-downs like Charlie Brown did. I'll give you the answer, NO ONE! Because even if another kid shows up who is just like Charlie Brown, wishy-washy, a blockhead at times, and can never do anything right, I guarantee that he or she would not put up with your teasing like he did, and they could actually fight back!" He then turned to Lucy. "As for you, who is probably the worst of the three of you, you wonder why I don't like you, why I don't want to be around you, let alone ever want to MARRY you?! Look at what you do to other people. Your treatment of Charlie Brown aside, your brothers only tolerate you because you are related. I won't even go into how you treat Linus. He's second only to Charlie Brown in how you push him around. But to be fair, Linus would be the one who could hold his own against you, but barely! You want the world to do what you say, yet that's now how the world works! You just get joy in everyone else's misery, and that's why I would never marry an awful person like you, Lucy Van Pelt! And why I have no respect for you two either, Violet and Patty. You three are awful human beings! And, believe it or not, the world would be a better place if we had more nice caring folks like Charlie Brown in the world!" And Schroeder threw away his garbage from his lunch and headed back to class, leaving the girls dumbfounded.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," said Pig Pen, who also got up and left. Linus, Frieda, and some others followed suit, leaving the three mean girls to ponder what was just said to them. Were they really that cruel to Charlie Brown? Did they really disregard his feelings so much?

NEXT CHAPTER: PLANNING A TRIP