CHAPTER 4: AN OFFER SNOOPY CAN'T REFUSE
TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE PREVIOUS HOMECOMING GAME
Snoopy was laying on top of his doghouse for a little nap when Lucy came walking up. She had just heard that Snoopy would be officiating the Homecoming game. And with her plot against Charlie Brown picking up steam, he was the last piece to put in place and she knew she could manipulate him, a.k.a. threaten him. Charlie Brown and Linus, to Lucy's delight, were chosen to be escorts for the court. And, even more important to her, Charlie Brown was picked to escort the Queen. Unbeknownst to him, though, was the fact that the little red-haired girl was picked to be the Queen. But Lucy knew and was going to use that to her advantage.
"Snoopy, wake up!" she said. "I need to discuss business with you." Snoopy sat up and stretched out and yawned. He turned to Lucy to see what she had to say.
"Now listen, you stupid beagle," she began, "because I'm only going to say this once. I know about you being the referee for the upcoming Homecoming game. And I will be playing on Peppermint Patty's team. Now when the game is going on, no matter what I do on the field, TURN THE OTHER WAY. You understand me? TURN THE OTHER WAY! You didn't see anything. If you report anything I do, or tell anyone about this deal, not only will I pound you, but after I'm done, I'll give what's left of you to the cat next door!" Snoopy shook with fear. He didn't want any part of the cat next door.
"Now, are we clear on the instructions?" Lucy asked with an evil grin. Snoopy nodded fast. "Good. I expect you to abide by our deal." And she left Snoopy to ponder what he had gotten himself into. From a distance, the same mysterious figure was videotaping the whole thing, and then left.
Sometime later at the wall, Lucy was talking to Violet a bit more about her scheme against Charlie Brown.
"Everything is coming into place, Violet," Lucy said with glee. "That blockhead will never know what hit him. And with his beloved little red-haired girl as the Homecoming Queen, she'd be embarrassed to be anywhere near Charlie Brown. Even better is the fact his own dog is in it with me, now, with a little persuasion, of course."
"Wow, that's deplorable, Lucy," said Violet. "While I'm not one to defend Charlie Brown, what has he done to deserve this kind of abuse?"
"Nothing," said Lucy. "Just his being born is enough for his suffering."
"Well as I said before, I won't interfere with your plot, as awful as it is, but don't expect me or Patty to help you with this."
"That's okay. And I do appreciate your keeping quiet about this."
"What I want to know is what are you going to do if and when Peppermint Patty finds out about this?"
"I'm not worried about that idiot," said Lucy, without a shred of remorse. "She's so stupid; she'll believe that Charlie Brown screwed up. This girl thinks Snoopy is a funny-looking kid with a big nose, for crying out loud. Stevie Wonder could see that Snoopy's a dog! So why wouldn't she think he screwed up? Plus on a field that big you wouldn't tell that I was pulling the ball away. So not only will that moron Peppermint Patty think he messed up; everyone else will, too. Because he's Charlie Brown!"
"And just like Charlie Brown, you're hopeless, Lucy," Violet said, walking away frustrated. Lucy just stood there, smiling about her ploy. The same mysterious figure videotaped their conversation.
PRESENT DAY
After Halftime, the teams came back out for the second half of the game. Frieda was standing with Snoopy. They've been watching closely for Lucy to pull a stunt. It hadn't been revealed that Lucy threatened Snoopy from the last game, so he was nervous.
"So far, so good, Snoopy," she said. "Lucy hasn't tried to humiliate your owner, yet. We still have a lot of game to go, though. Keep close watch." Snoopy agreed. The teams took the field. Then Molly Volley blew the whistle to start the next half. Charlie Brown kicked the ball toward the other team and the game was back on.
"It looks good so far, Frieda," said Melanie. "Our boyfriends seem to be doing real well."
"I agree, Mel," said Frieda. "Just so as long as a certain raven-haired brat doesn't try anything funny."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you remember? Lucy pulled the ball away from Charlie Brown at least four times. Aside from one attempted kick where he was sacked, Lucy thwarted every attempt at scoring because of her sick need to humiliate Charlie Brown."
"If she tried that with my Frankie, she'd be sorry!"
Later in the game towards the end, there was twenty seconds left in the game. Peppermint Patty's team was behind by only one point, just like last time. And they could still win it with a field goal, so she called a timeout. Peppermint Patty came to the sideline where Charlie Brown and Linus were seated.
"I can't push them back any farther," said Patty. "We're on the five yard line. And it's an easy field goal." She headed back toward the field.
"All right, Charlie Brown," said Linus. "We're only one point behind. Get out there and score us a win!" Charlie Brown enthusiastically ran out to the huddle. Frieda watched as her boyfriend went out for the field goal. "It's hero time, baby!" she said to herself.
"Okay, Chuck," Patty began, "I don't think I have to tell you how important this is. We'll try to hold them back, while you launch it through the towers." They broke the huddle and Charlie Brown went over to kick where Schroeder was waiting for the ball.
"This is it, Charlie Brown," Schroeder said, with excitement. "It's Sidney, or the Bush!"
As the ball was tossed to Schroeder and before Charlie Brown could kick it, they heard a familiar voice. "Hold it! Hold it!" It was Lucy, and she was coming over where the boys were.
"OH GOOD GRIEF!" said Charlie Brown, knowing what she was up to.
"Oh no!" cried Frieda from the sideline. "I knew she would try to pull something! Snoopy, get Molly Volley!" And Snoopy ran to get Molly, who was on the field. He tapped her shoulder.
"Snoopy!" she said, surprised to see him on the field. "What is it, partner?" Snoopy pointed towards the scene where Lucy, Charlie Brown, and Schroeder were. "Don't worry. I'll take care of this."
Meanwhile, Lucy was trying to take over holding the ball. "You look tired, Schroeder," she said. "I can take over holding the ball from this point on."
"Oh no!" said Schroeder. "You think I don't know what you're up to? You're just trying to humiliate Charlie Brown again."
"Me, humiliate Charlie Brown?" she said, trying to act innocent. "Perish the thought. Come on, Schroeder, let me hold the ball." And she shoved Schroeder out of the way and took the ball. Charlie Brown rolled his eyes, dreading the impeding outcome.
"Come on, Charlie Brown," said Lucy with a sick smile on her face. "KICK THE BALL."
Charlie Brown sighed. "Goodbye hero," he lamented. "Hello goat!" And as he started to run toward his fate of Lucy pulling it away and making the team lose yet again because she wanted to embarrass Charlie Brown again, he was saved at the last minute with the blast of Molly Volley's whistle.
"STOP THE CLOCK!" she shouted. "Van Pelt, what in the name of Sparky Schulz do you think you are doing?!"
"I was holding the ball for the placekicker," Lucy said, matter-of-factly. "What else would I be doing?"
"Oh I don't know, POSSIBLY TRYING TO MAKE A FOOL OUT OF HIM LIKE YOU DID LAST TIME?! NOW GET YOUR KEASTER OFF MY FIELD! YOU ARE DONE PLAYING IN THIS GAME BECAUSE OF UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT!"
"What did you say?!"
"DID I STUTTER?" Lucy backed off. Even she knew not to mess with Molly Volley. She reluctantly complied and went towards the locker room. Peppermint Patty called from the line of scrimmage, "Expect more yelling to come, Lucille. Except it will be from me!"
"All right, the show's over," Molly said, restoring order. "Resume play, and restart the clock back to twenty seconds." Charlie Brown was relieved. Molly stopped a planned takeover from Lucy just to make him look like a fool. Snoopy went back to where the cheerleaders were. Frieda hugged him. "Thank you, Snoopy! You just saved your owner from harm."
Snoopy thought to himself, "Just wait till the round-headed kid finds out I had a part in his humiliation during the last game. He'll probably send me back to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. I feel terrible."
Charlie Brown meanwhile started to kick the ball and it flew overhead. Everyone looked in anticipation. Charlie Brown looked nervous and waited to see what happened. And the ball made between the goal posts, earning Patty's team the much-needed three points for the win. Everyone cheered. Charlie Brown worries turned to happiness. He won the game for the team.
"ALL RIGHT, CHARLIE BROWN!" Linus shouted from the sideline.
"YOU DID IT, CHUCK!" Patty shouted with excitement. "YOU WON THE GAME FOR US! YOU'RE A HERO!"
The team proceeded to pick up Charlie Brown and carry him on their shoulders. Charlie Brown was beside himself with happiness. He finally redeemed himself from last time. Even when Lucy tried to humiliate him at the last minute, Molly Volley's intervention put that to an end. After the team put him down, Frieda ran up and gave him a big hug and a kiss.
"You did it, sweetie!" she said, with tears of happiness in her eyes. "I'm so proud of you!" That made it even more worth it to Charlie Brown. To put a smile on his girlfriend's face was worth a hundred football game wins. The mysterious figure that videotaped Lucy's conversations from before was watching and then left.
NEXT CHAPTER: DANCING AND PLOT-REVEALING