AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm not sure how the American school system works… I assume there's a Primary School, and a High School. (I've also recently learnt there is a Middle School… I think.) So if I got something wrong, please leave a review telling me what I, er, stuffed up.
Charlie was quite surprised with the small success his stall was making. Half of it was due to Linus' great ideas. They had made $6.25 ($2.00 of which came from Pig-Pen, who heard Violet and Patty gossiping about Charlie's cookies, and after tasting one bought another seven), from which Linus quickly calculated how much each person received.
"You receive $3.13, Charlie Brown, but we have to round that up to $3.15… so then I receive $2.50, and we donate the rest to charity, which is sixty cents. Every little bit helps them, Charlie Brown!"
On Sunday, about ten minutes before the opening, Linus placed a wooden picnic basket outside the stall, and sticky taped on a small piece of paper that said "Suggestion Basket". He then placed some small, rectangle pieces of white paper, a blue pen and a black pen into the basket.
"So people can give us suggestions on how to improve." Linus smiled, making sure the basket was perfectly straight.
"Thanks Linus, you've been an enormous help…"
"Anytime, Charlie Brown!"
The chalkboards remained unchanged, beside the fact that Charlie had added a new recipe; M'n'M cookies.
He had made 15 of each type of cookie this time, hoping to keep it even.
"Have you even tried one of your cookies yet, Charlie Brown?"
Charlie shook his head. "No, I have not."
Linus swiped a cookie from the tray and shoved it into his mouth. "Here!"
Charlie, taken aback, swallowed it down quickly. "I- ah… wow, these actually are pretty decent."
"More than decent, Charlie Brown! It tastes! absolutely amazing!"
Charlie blushed, still surprised that something that he did could taste decent.
"Hm, it seems like there is no-one approaching. Let's read some comics, Charlie Brown."
Charlie picked up a Spider-Man one, and began reading, waiting for a customer.
……
Ting-a-ling-a-ling!
Charlie looked up from his comic, hearing the noise of the bell. He had gotten fairly used to greeting people now.
He nudged Linus, who was quite consumed in a comic that featured The Avengers. Charlie placed his comic on the shelf.
"Sorry about that! Hi, welcome to Crumby Cookies, what can what ca-" He stopped mid-sentence when he looked up properly.
"Oh, hey Schroeder!"
"Hello, Charlie Brown. So, it is true that you've made a cookie stand."
"Uh, yes. With Linus over here." Linus wasn't paying attention. "Uh, Linus?" Linus didn't hear anything. Charlie sighed.
"From who did you hear that we made a cookie stand?"
Schroeder rolled his eyes. "From Lucy, who else? Well, it's not just her, I guess…"
Charlie leaned forward. "Really? Who else?"
"I heard it from Pig-Pen who I happened to meet while walking over here, and Patty mentioned it to me yesterday. Anyway, as you probably know, Beethoven's birthday is coming up, so can I maybe purchase five of each cookie?"
"Five of each? Really?" Schroeder nodded. "Um, that comes too… $3.75, I think."
Schroeder nodded again. He never seems to smile, except on Beethoven's birthday…Charlie thought. Then again, I never smile either… except recently, I guess. "Um, okay, Linus, can I… Linus?" Linus was still lost inside his comic book. "Linus." Linus still didn't pay attention. Charlie, growing annoyed, yelled "LINUS!".
Linus shot out of his chair, and Schroeder fell on his back.
"Oh! Sorry, Charlie Brown…" He apologized, blushing lightly. "Hey Schroeder!"
"Hallo, Lenus…" He said, his speech slightly slurred.
"He would like five of each cookie, Linus."
"Five of each cookie! Whatever for?"
Schroeder shook his head, coming out of his confusion. "It's Beethoven's birthday in sixteen days."
"Oh yeah!" Remarked Linus, bringing out the cookies. "Why do you want the cookies now, Schroeder? Wouldn't want them as latest as you can, so they don't lose any value?"
"I'd like to be extra-prepared this year." He said, giving the money to Charlie Brown. "I mean, it's his 244th birthday! We have to be prepared! Anyway, thanks for the cookies, Charlie Brown and Linus." Schroeder was about to walk off, when Charlie Brown called out, "Hold on, Schroeder. Don't you want to taste-test the cookies first? To see if they're good?"
Schroeder frowned. "You're my friend, Charlie Brown. If you say they're good, then they're good." Schroeder walked off, leaving Charlie Brown slightly confused, while Linus smiled.
"See, Charlie Brown? That's what you call a true friend.
……
As the day went by, more and more of the neighborhood stopped at Crumby Cookies to see if Charlie Brown had actually made not only edible, but tasty cookies as well. Most people that came had heard of Crumby Cookies when they overheard Patty and Violet gossiping (They talked loudly, it seemed.), and thought "That can't be true, they're lying." So, of course, all the people that denied the fact that Charlie Brown baked something appetizing, walked over to Crumby Cookies, only to be proven wrong as they ate something truly delicious.
The Suggestion Basket filled up as well, overflowing with feedback and ideas to improve the stand. They had sold nearly all their cookies, only a few blueberry and M'n'Ms left.
As they started closing up shop, a girl walked over from the distance. Linus stiffened when he saw her. Charlie was packing up the comics, when he was nudged on the shoulder by Linus.
"What's wro-" Charlie faltered midsentence, watching Lucy van Pelt walk up to the store. She placed small, rectangle, pieces of light blue paper in the Suggestion Basket, and walked away.
Charlie raised an eyebrow. "She didn't say anything?"
"She can't. Her voice is still gone, which I think is another good luck thing for you, Charlie Brown."
Charlie picked up the Suggestion Basket. Most of the papers were conveniently face-down, as if the papers themselves wanted the suggestions to be a surprise. He could distinctly tell the difference between Lucy's papers and the other pieces of paper, due to the different colours.
"What do you think she wrote? Some rude message, perhaps?" Asked Charlie, perplexed.
Linus looked thoughtful as he stacked the trays. "Why don't we read the suggestions inside your house, Charlie Brown?"
Charlie nodded. "Sure."
They took off the blackboards, took the money, and pushed the Crumby Cookies stand in a bush, as they had done yesterday. They then walked inside Charlie's house.
Immediately, Snoopy waltzed up to Charlie Brown, his bowl in his hand. Charlie Brown slapped a palm to his face.
"Of course, Suppertime… how about a cookie instead?"
Snoopy immediately nodded, and Charlie Brown chucked two blueberry cookies in his bowl. He looked at the bowl, and then looked up at Charlie Brown, as if to say, Seriously, kid? That's all you're going to give me?
"You want more?! Fine, here's two M'n'M's…" Snoopy seemed satisfied with that, and walked off, his bowl in his mouth.
Linus plopped the Basket on the coffee table, as Sally approached the two boys and sat down next to Linus.
"Hiya, Big Brother! Hiya, Linus!" Suprisingly, Sally seemed to be in a good mood.
"What are you all doing?"
"We're about to start reading our suggestions, Sally, for our Crumby Cookies stand." Charlie replied.
"Oh! You mean that cookie stand outside that from what I've heard made good cookies? Cool! Can I help?"
Charlie shrugged. "If Linus doesn't mind."
Linus hesitated, but nodded.
Sally sat down on the couch as Charlie turned over the basket. A pile of suggestions fell onto the coffee table.
"Why are some of them blue?" Sally asked, curious.
"Uh… we'll save them for last." Linus said, quickly grabbing them and putting them in his pocket.
"I'm still marveled by the fact we received so many suggestions…" Charlie Brown exclaimed.
"Well, are we going to start or what?" Said Sally, impatient. "Let's get started!"
……
Some of these suggestions are signed... Charlie thought to himself. …but most weren't. Why can't people just all do the same thing?
"Look at this one!" Sally yelled, slightly furious. She shoved it into Charlie Brown's face, who took it out of her hands. It said… nothing. It wasn't readable. One side of the paper was clean (except for a few smudges), while the other had lead stains and dirt all over it.
Linus sighed. "Probably Pig-Pen."
They went through the suggestions. Some of them we quickly labeled "near to impossible", (which in other words meant the suggestion was just plain stupid), like Can you quadruple the size of the cookie, yet keep the same price? and Could you make the cookies a different colour? They taste good, but I think red would be better.
"Hey, what about this one?" Asked Linus, passing it to Sally, then Charlie. It wrote, Maybe you could add brownies to the list. I know, they aren't cookies, but I think it would be a good addition. Maybe brownie cookies?
Charlie shrugged. "It seems feasible, I guess…"
"Oo! This one says What about raspberry cookies?! I told you we should add raspberry cookies, Big Brother!"
Charlie shook his head. "Sally, I told you yesterday, we don't have raspberries."
"Then I'll buy some!" She yelled, standing up.
Linus and Charlie frowned. "You would buy some raspberries… for us? For free?" Linus asked, somewhat wary.
"As long as I get to taste the cookie." Sally stated.
Charlie nodded. "Sure, if it's okay with Linus, I guess."
Linus started at Sally, still slightly suspicious.
"Sure…"
They continued going through the suggestions, occasionally one of them stopped the others to read out-loud a suggestion that they thought should be deemed decent, like Add a picnic table or something! And Make more specials!
After a long half an' hour, they had finally went through all the suggestions.
"When do you plan to open your stand next? It was Friday prevening, right?" Asked Sally.
Linus facepalmed. "I told you, 'prevening', isn't a word."
"Well, it should be!" Sally said sternly.
"I think we're done here, Sally… thank you for helping us, I guess."
"Anytime, Big Brother! I'm going to go see what time we have dinner… bye, Linus!" She said, walking off.
"Well, I guess we're done Linus… you can take the Basket home…"
Linus frowned, and then whispered. "Did you forget Lucy's papers, Charlie Brown?"
"Oh! Yes, I did. Where are they?"
Linus looked around to make sure that Sally had gone, and then brought them out of his pocket.
"What do you think they say?" Asked Charlie, whispering as well.
Linus shrugged. He turned them over. They were numbered, 1 to 4.
"Let's read number one first, I guess…" Said Charlie Brown, picking up Number One.
I heard that you had added a Suggestion Basket. If you're wondering, I heard it from Frieda, who heard it from Pig-Pen, who heard it from…
"It ends there." Noted Linus.
Charlie picked up Number Two.
… from 5, who heard it from Schroeder, who heard it from Patty.
"Number Three?"
So I suggest that you add something that shows a place to line up, because it's clear that this stand might even achieve more than my psychiatrist stand! Imagine that!
She had managed to squeeze the last part in rushed handwriting.
Anyway, you might also need a guard on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, because what if someone tries to steal the money? That is all.
"These suggestions… seem valid." Remarked Linus, skeptical.
"There's no need for a guard, but if we ever do need one, we can ask Snoopy." Said Charlie.
"Oh! That reminds me, we have to divvy up the money." Said Linus. "Alright, so from memory, we have to divide…"
……
It was Tuesday night. Charlie Brown was finishing off some homework.
Next to him, large wooden planks had been brought together. He planned to assemble those into a picnic table on Thursday, just like one of the suggestions had recommended.
"Big Brother! Oh, Big Brother!"
"What is it, Sally? For the umpteenth time, I am NOT doing your homework." He yelled to the other room.
Sally walked inside, holding a bag.
"I went to the market with Mother before. I bought raspberries."
"Raspberries? What am I going to do with raspberries?" He muttered, trying to complete a complicated sum.
"The cookies! Remember?"
Charlie turned around, about to tell her off, but then he realised what she was talking about.
"Oh! Well, thank you Sally. I can make them Friday after school."
"Anytime, Big Brother!" She walked off, smiling.
Outside the window, Woodstock 'flew' off the sill and went to the backyard, to report back to Snoopy, AKA The Secret Agent.
What do you have to report, Agent Bird?
|||, ||||! Woodstock said angrily.
Well, do you have a better name than 'Agent Bird'? Said Snoopy, sighing.
||… |||! ||||| ||||!
Snoopy frowned. 'Agent Woodstock'?
Woodstock nodded, smiling. Snoopy rolled his eyes, and sighed again. Anyway, what do you have to report?
||||, |||| ||| |||| ||. ||| ||| ||||| ||. |||| |||!
Snoopy clapped his hands together. So he's making the cookies Friday… afternoon? Or is making them Friday evening? Woodstock shrugged.
I guess it doesn't matter. The plan is to steal enough cookies so we can, well, eat them, but not enough for them to notice.
Woodstock nodded.
Alright, Woodstock, we need to be aware of all the hiding places if we hear a noise… here, in my house, I have a blueprint of the house…
|||||, ||| ||?
You don't have a blueprint of YOUR house? That's stupid, Woodstock, every house has a blueprint… Snoopy said, scoffing, and he walked into his house with Woodstock.
……
It was Friday prevening, and school would end in a few minutes.
Oh boy… as soon as school ends, I have to find Linus… then I have to bake cookies and brownies… Thought Charlie Brown, his head on his desk. I wonder how many people will come this time… I know Patty said she probably would… but will she really?
"Charlie Brown!" Violet whispered sharply from the desk behind him.
Charlie's head shot up. The teacher had asked Charlie a question.
"Uh… could you repeat the question, Mrs. Donovan?"
Luckily, the bell rang at that exact moment. "Phew…" Charlie Brown said to himself, retrieved his things and walked out with Violet.
"Thanks for the save, Violet…" He said, warily. Violet was most well-known for her rude and bossy attitude, but Charlie Brown also knew that on some days she was neutral, and just liked to chat.
Luckily, it seemed that she was on one of her good days.
"You're welcome, Charlie Brown…" She said, smiling. They both walked out of the class and went to their lockers, which happened to be next to each either.
They both attended Pinecrest Elementary School, which used to be James Street Elementary School, but was changed a little bit after the school collapsed, they decided to change the name, because the teachers and the principal thought that a new, rebuilt school deserved a new name. (Even though that it had keep the "James Street Elementary" name for a little bit afterwards.)
Violet, Shermy, Patty and Charlie Brown were all in the same grade, their last year of school. Most of their friends were in the year below, which is why Charlie Brown had to wait for Linus. Then again, all classes finish at a different time. Charlie was just lucky to have a teacher that let everyone leave as soon as the bell rang.
He sat down on the steps outside the school, Violet plopping down next to him.
"Are you waiting for Patty?" He asked. She nodded. "Yeah. And Frieda."
"So…" Charlie hesitated, not certain on how to start a conversation. He felt more confident behind the Crumby Cookies stand, and he had only been there twice!
"Uh, are you coming to our store today?"
"Oh! You mean Crumby Cookies?" Charlie was silently surprised that she had remembered the name. She was probably on one of her bad days last week… he thought.
"Yeah, of course we'll come! Patty, Frieda and I were planning on coming down. When does it open again?"
"4:00." He replied immediately.
"Wow! You've memorized it already, Charlie Brown?" Said an amused voice from behind. They both turned around. Patty was standing behind them, grinning, and squeezed inbetween.
"Uh, yeah, I guess." He said, slightly embarrassed. "That was weird. I don't even remember attempting to memorize the times… that's normally something Linus would do." Patty giggled.
"Well, we made plans to come down to your stand today! We were also going to-"
"I literally just told him, Patty." Violet cut in. Patty blushed. "Oh, uh, sorry…"
"Charlie Brown! You finally got in with the ladies, I see!"
Shermy walked in from behind, laughing, and squeezed in between Charlie and Patty. Patty blushed and giggled. Violet rolled her eyes and Patty's antics, but in a joking way.
"Hey, Shermy…" Charlie said warily. He hadn't seen Shermy for a while, but he looked like he normally was; determined and strong.
"I heard that you have started a business, in cookie-baking no less. The news is getting bigger in the school by the day. Even Patty couldn't help telling me how remarkable your cookies were." He said, smiling.
"Uh, yeah, yeah I have." Charlie said, his confidence growing a little.
"Well, I guess I'll have to drop by later today, eh?" He remarked. Patty spoke up, stuttering and blushing.
"We-well, Shermy, i-if you wanted to-"
Violet cut Patty off. "Shermy, Patty, Frieda and I are going over to Crumby Cookies at four. Want to come with us?"
Shermy nodded. "Sure! I gotta go for now, though, but I'll meet you at… Crumby Cookies is at your house, right?" He asked, turning to Charlie.
He nodded. "Yeah, I'll meet you at Charlie's house at 4:00. See you then!" He said, scrambling off.
Patty sighed dreamily, while Violet rolled her eyes again. Charlie laughed, something he hadn't done since last week. Before that? He couldn't remember.
"Charlie Brown! Come on, let's get going!" Linus quickly scurried to Charlie Brown, his bag unzipped as if he had ran out of the classroom in a rush.
"Uh, Linus, you dropped a book back there…" Pointed out Patty, trying not to chuckle.
"Oh, thanks Patty!" He quickly ran, grabbed the book, and then pulled Charlie Brown up. "Come on, Charlie Brown! We got a picnic table to install!"
"I wasn't the one late, Linus…" He said, as they both ran off together, leaving Patty and Violet waiting for Frieda.
……
"You used the same paint as Snoopy's doghouse, I see!" Remarked Linus, looking happy as usual.
"Yeah…" It was 3:45, and Charlie Brown was assembling the picnic bench outside. The cookies were baking inside the oven, in Charlie Brown's house.
As Charlie constructed the picnic bench, Linus reinstalled the Suggestion Basket.
Meanwhile, Snoopy and Woodstock watched from the roof. Snoopy had binoculars in his hand.
It seems they are setting up for their guests, Woodstock. Snoopy noted. Woodstock nearly fell onto Charlie's head, but Snoopy caught him.
Stupid bird!
At 4:00, Charlie Brown and Linus were sitting behind the counter, not bothering to take out their comics yet.
The blackboards had changed. The top ones said "FRIDAY SPECIAL" in many different colours of chalk, along with a big 'explosion' design around it. Under it, were the prices of the cookies. Charlie had added brownies and raspberry cookies to the mix. (The raspberry cookies were twenty cents, along with the other cookies, because the special indicated that all prices were 20% off. The brownies were forty cents each, and on other days would sell for fifty.)
They could see their first four customers approaching in the distance.
Linus rubbed his eyes. "Wow, I didn't expect so many already!"
"Oh… sorry, I forget to tell you. They were planning to all come as soon as it opened."
"Well, I hope made a lot of cookies!"
"I did. Uh, fifteen of each cookie, and thirty brownies."
Shermy, Frieda, Patty and Violet were all chatting in the distance, their words becoming more and more audible as they continued walking. Charlie Brown could make out some words like "cookies" and "Charlie Brown".
As soon as the group was within distance, Shermy yelled in amazement. "Woah! Who knew you could make a picnic table, Charlie Brown? It's slick!"
Charlie beamed with pride as the group chattered about the picnic table. It was painted red, and looked somewhat shiny.
"It's the same wood I use to rebuild Snoopy's doghouse…"
"Wait, you built Snoopy's doghouse?" Frieda asked, surprised.
"Uh… yeah…?"
"How did you manage to make it so enormous on the inside?" Asked Frieda, aghast.
"Er… what?"
"Oh. I guess it's something Snoopy installed himself…" Frieda muttered. Charlie still looked confused. "His doghouse is bigger on the inside." She explained.
"What? Oh! Right. Yeah, he did that."
"So you rebuild it every time that cat from next door scratches it apart?"
"Yeah?"
"Does he pay you?" Frieda asked.
Charlie sighed. "It's just a doghouse, Frieda… anyway, what would you guys like from Crumby Cookies today?"
"Oo! I see you have added brownies! They're my favourite!" Violet said joyously.
"You have raspberry cookies? The colour of the raspberry will go perfectly well with my naturally curly hair." Frieda remarked. Linus snickered, and Frieda gave him a playful glare. "I'm joking doofus."
"I'll take the chop chips!" Shouted Shermy, smiling.
"I'll have choc chips as well… or should I have blueberry?" Pondered Patty.
After they had all decided their choices of food, they bought it and sat at the picnic table, munching at their cookies (and brownies) while chatting about various things.
Shermy had offered Charlie Brown and Linus a spot, but they declined, as who knows when another customer might come?
They read their comics while waiting for another customer, Charlie Brown reading Spider-Man again while Linus was still deeply engrossed in The Avengers.
"Hiya, Chuck! I heard that you were runnin' a business or sometin'!" A happy voice called out from the sidewalk.
Charlie looked up, and smiled when he saw Peppermint Patty, with Marcie tagging along behind. "Hello, Charles."
"Hi, Peppermint Patty. Hey, Marcie." The other Patty nearly looked up when she heard her name, but quickly dismissed it when she realised it was the other Patty.
"Me and Marcie came over-"
"You mean 'Marcie and I', sir." Marcie cut in, correcting Patty's grammar.
Patty sighed. "Stop calling me sir, Marcie. Anyway, we heard about this cookie stand and came to check it out!"
"Wow! The news of my stand has reached to the next neighborhood?" Charlie said, shocked and happy.
"Mm-hm! Well, sorta. Pig-Pen told Franklin who told us. So, we'd like to have, mm, how many would'ya like, Marcie?"
"I don't mind, sir."
"Five choc chips for me, and five brownies for Marcie." Marcie smiled a little bit.
Marcie put her hand in her pocket to look for a dollar, but Patty stopped her. "I'll pay, okay?"
"Sir…" Marcie rubbed her head.
"Let me do sometin' good for once, alright Marcie?" Said Patty, chuckling. "Here's the money, Chuck."
"Thanks, Patty… Linus, five brownies and five choc chip cookies please."
Linus, of course, was still in the middle of an Avengers comic. Charlie sighed and snatched the comic out of his hands.
"Hey! …oh." Linus blushed, embarrassed. "Heyyy Patty… hey Marcie. Ehe. Whoops."
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Five brownies and five choc chips, please."
Linus nodded. "Right…" He gave the cookies and brownies to Patty, who gave the brownies to Marcie.
"Thanks, Chuck and Linus!" She said, as she bit into one. Her eyes widened them.
"Uh, is something wrong Patty?" Said Charlie, worried.
"MARCIE, YOU'VE GOTTA TRY THESE!" She yelled, her voice somehow flipping everyone within earshot over onto their backs. She quickly shoved a chop chip into Marcie's mouth, and turned to Charlie.
"I didn't expect these cookies to be so good, Chuck! To be honest, we came here just to be nice!"
"You… did?" Charlie said, rubbing his hand on his head.
"Yeah! But these are actually good!"
Marcie stood up, and put her glasses back on. "They are really good, Charles…"
"Alright Chuck, we should be leaving now. See you two later!"
"See you, Patty… see you, Marcie!" He waved as they walked away. The group at the picnic table continued chatting.
Linus snatched his comic back from Charlie Brown, and continued reading. Charlie Brown continued reading his as well.
I wish I could be like Peter Parker… thought Charlie Brown, midway through the comic. He's not afraid of all these villains, yet he still is treated like a villain through the press… that's some commitment… of course, Charlie Brown didn't notice the noise from the picnic table die down.
Ting-a-ling-a-ling!
Hearing the familiar tingling of the bell, he leaned down to put his comic away, and nudged Linus, who actually responded this time.
But for some reason, all he did was look up, and gape.
Charlie looked at Linus, slightly confused and still annoyed, and then turned to the customer.
"Sorry about that! Hi, welcome to Crumby Cookies, what can what caaaaaaa-" He stopped mid-sentence when he focused properly.
His speech became a slur.
Standing, right before him, was the Little Red-Haired Girl.
"cliffhanger – noun; a dramatic and exciting ending to an episode of a serial, leaving the audience in suspense and anxious not to miss the next episode."
Of course, you can apply that to written stories as well. Whoops!
I'll be inactive for three weeks because we're going somewhere for the school holidays, but I might be lucky and I'll be able to continue the story from there.
If not, then I wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! :D
See you until then! (FUTURE AUTHOR'S NOTE: Or not... whoops. Super sorry about that, guys! But all should be good now! Soon! Hopefully? Yeah! Thanks for reading!)