#8: "The Play-Requiem for a Blanket (Episode 24)"

Linus: You just HAD to include this episode, didn't you?

HPDrummerman: Sorry, dude, but it's a personal favorite of mine. It was the end of an era for you, as tragic as it was. But you made it through and no longer need it.

Linus: Well, yeah you're right. Let's see what happened…

1st Clip from "The Play-Requiem for a Blanket"

Charlie Brown, Frieda, Linus, and Eudora were leaving Joe's Café and was heading back to Charlie Brown's house to study and, in Linus's case, to start another tutoring session with Sally. Frieda, in particular, had been rehearsing for the upcoming Christmas show. Charlie Brown's cousin, Trevor B. hadn't gave a definitive answer to if he would perform as a special guest yet. Plus, Snoopy continued to try to get into the show thinking it was his big break, but Schroeder wasn't having any of it. With Lucy as his main lieutenant, Snoopy was going to have a hard time getting in, as she had even less patience for the mischievous beagle than her boyfriend. To say that Charlie Brown had his hands full as of late would have been the mother of all understatements.

As the kids walked down the street, Linus asked, "How is Sally coming in her studies, Charlie Brown?"

"With you tutoring her, she has improved a lot," said Charlie Brown. "She doesn't bug me to do her homework for her like she used to. She's been doing her own work, and Michael's been helping her, as well."

"She's come a long way from where she was, for sure," added Frieda.

"That's great," said Linus with a smile.

"I've been helping, as well," said Eudora. "While I'm admittedly not the smartest girl in the world, I have been working with her to the best of my abilities."

"As far as the show goes, that's been a nightmare," Charlie Brown sighed. "Frieda here has been working hard to get her performance right, not to mention me trying to keep Snoopy out of the auditorium, but he keeps sneaking in somehow. I may have to get some of the guards close the doors and guard them during the rehearsals. Trying to keep Schroeder calm is a task in itself. Even Lucy hasn't been as crabby, and I expect her to be the first one to blow, but Schroeder somehow has beaten her to the punch."

"The day someone else is crabbier than Lucy is the day the world starts to turn topsy-turvy!" said Linus.

"I think poor Schroeder has bitten off more than he can chew," said Frieda. "I feel sorry for the poor guy."

The kids kept walking when a burst of wind almost swept them off their feet. Charlie Brown grabbed Frieda to keep her from falling over.

"Thank you, baby," she said, and then kissed him.

"It's really windy out here," said Eudora. "I almost lost my hat."

"We better be careful," added Linus. "If we're not careful, we could lose something like…" Before he could finish his sentence, his blanket flew out of his hand by a gush of wind.

"MY BLANKET! Quick! Everyone try to grab my blanket!" And the kids ran after the blanket. It flew down the street and landed on the edge of a wood chipper.

"Uh oh!" said Charlie Brown. "Let's grab it before…" Before they could reach it, the blanket fell in the chipper and started to shred it to bits. Linus turned pale. One tiny bit of his blanket fell to his feet. It was completely destroyed.

"I'm sorry, babe," said Eudora, comforting her boyfriend.

"We all are, Linus," added Charlie Brown.

Before anyone could react, Linus suddenly rose up and screamed to the heavens.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!"

Charlie Brown, Frieda, and Eudora escorted a distraught Linus to his house. Charlie Brown said, "I'll tell Sally that you got sick all of the sudden and had to cancel the session."

"Thank you, Charlie Brown," Linus said, meekly.

"Look after him, Eudora," said Frieda.

"I will, guys," assured Eudora. "Talk to you later."

End of Clip

HPDrummerman: What's significant about this episode is that it calls back to a story arc from the strip. The story arc where the blanket-hating grandma promises to stop smoking IF Linus gave up the blanket, and Lucy almost destroys it in the trash burner, only to be saved by Linus at the last moment. And Linus tells Lucy that when their mother says it was time to give up the blanket, THEN he would do so, but no one else. Well, in this episode, after the wood chipper destroyed the blanket, their mother said she wouldn't get another blanket for him and that it was time for him to give it up. And Linus honored the promise he made before.

2nd Clip from "The Play-Requiem for a Blanket"

"Linus?" Charlie Brown began.

"Oh, hi Charlie Brown, Frieda," Linus greeted sadly.

"How are you feeling, hun?" asked Frieda.

"Lousy," Linus said bluntly. "My blanket is gone forever. Mom even refused to buy a replacement, saying that I'm old enough now that I don't need to have another one. And I did promise that once mom said it was time for me to get rid of it, I'd do so. So, as much as it pains me, and because of that stupid wood chipper, I'm keeping my promise." He looked over at Lucy. "I know you must be happy to see that I'm no longer with the blanket."

"You know, Linus," Lucy began, "no one wanted you to be rid of that blanket more than me, well maybe except for grandma, but I never hoped that it would be destroyed in that fashion. In fact, as I got older, I hoped that you would give it up but still save it for your kid or kids you would have when you got to be a grownup."

"Well that's a little comforting," sighed Linus. "As I said, I'm keeping my promise because mom said it was time for me to go on without a blanket. I may be out of it for a while. I asked Sally's boyfriend, Michael, to fill in for me with her tutoring while I go through this. Give me about a week tops."

"Okay, Linus," said Charlie Brown. "I do hope you get through this. And if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to call me."

"Good ol' Charlie Brown," Linus said with a weak smile.

"You take care of yourself, Linus," said Frieda, who then gave him a friendly kiss on his forehead.

"Thanks guys," he said. "I'll see you around." And Charlie Brown and Frieda left. Lucy looked at her younger brother.

"You know something, Linus?" she began.

"What's that?"

"I think after you get past this, you'll be okay. And just think of how much better you'll feel not having to depend on your blanket for security."

"I can only hope, Lucy."

End of Clip

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