Chapter Five: Charity Work

Dear Linus,

I am sorry I haven't written in a while, things have been so hectic here with the move! I'm glad to hear you're doing well, and that your sister is still up to her old tricks. How did the raffle turn out?

I have been great! The doctors say I have complete cancer remission! Isn't that wonderful?I will never forget your kindness to me when I was sick. I hope I will never be bald again!

I think the sunshine here in California is good for me, but maybe not the smog! It is very different from Pinetree Corners. There are a lot more people here, and a lot more kids in my neighborhood. In fact, I have to tell you, I have made a new friend named Steven. He lives down the block from me in a huge house! I think he must be rich! He invited me to go skateboarding at the park with him! I am not very good at it yet, but Steven promised he would give me lessons. He can do tricks and all kinds of neat stuff with his board!

I hope you won't mind if I start spending time with Steven. He invited me to his birthday party this week and I think we're going to play spin the bottle! Anyway, my mom is calling me for dinner so I have to go. Catch you later, gator! (Steven says that all the time! He is so funny!)

Your Penpal,

Janice

Charlie Brown put the letter down and reluctantly looked at Linus. "Sounds like she's having a good time in California," he said quietly.

"Did you see how she signed it? 'Your Penpal'. We're just penpals now!"

"Well, she does live a long ways away. Maybe it's for the best."

"A skateboarding rich kid!" Linus sobbed. "How can I beat that? I'm just a thumb sucking, security blanket holding brainiac!" he threw his face into his hands.

Charlie patted Linus' back, attempting to sound consoling. "There, there Linus...it's all right. Don't cry..."

"The mystery of love is greater then the mystery of death!" he wailed.

Charlie nodded. "You got that right."

"Oscar Wilde. He got that right," Linus sniffled.

"What's with all the blubbering in here?!" Lucy griped, pummeling through the doorway with her hands on her hips. "I'm trying to watch TV!"

"Janice broke up with me!" Linus replied.

"Janice Schmanice," Lucy rolled her eyes and reached for the letter. "Give me that!" she demanded, snatching it out of Charlie's hands. Her eyes perused the contents, and she let out a tiny snicker every now and then until she had finished reading. Shrugging her shoulders, she crumpled up the letter and tossed it into a nearby trashcan. "Oh well little brother, as I always say, out with the old and in with the new!"

Linus looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

"I got a job for you," she said. "We have to make Sally's big debut the biggest thing this school has ever seen!"

"What does that have to do with me?" he whimpered.

"Sally is going to kiss Trent Boyett Monday morning before the first bell. I want this to be outrageous. Spectacular! A real show!" she said, her eyes looking off into the distance as if to picture the entire scene playing out in front of her.

"You're not going to let your sister kiss that kid, are you Charlie Brown?"

"I..uh.."

"Of course he is!" Lucy interrupted. "Sally won fair and square. And besides, Charlie Brown wouldn't want to ruin my booming enterprise! I have to make this kiss so dramatic, all the girls will be dying to empty their piggybanks for the next raffle!"

"You're really going to have another raffle, Lucy?" Charlie asked.

"I plan to have a raffle every week...for the rest of our lives!" she rejoiced.

"Good grief...," Charlie moaned.

"You still haven't answered my question," Linus pointed out. "What does this have to do with me?"

"Well..," Lucy plopped down on the ground between Charlie and Linus and smiled. "Sally needs someone to practice on."

Linus' hair stood on edge and he leapt up. "OH NO. NO NO NO NO NO. NOOOOOO."

"Come on little brother, take one for the team!" Lucy whined.

"NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. No. NO!" he protested.

"Listen, we don't want Sally to look silly kissing Trent Boyett, do we?" Lucy tried to reason. "She's embarrassed herself in front of everybody enough as it is!"

"Why don't you just ask Trent Boyett to practice with her, Lucy?" Charlie suggested. "He's the one that's got to kiss her, anyway."

"Because Blockhead, that would spoil the excitement of her getting to kiss him in front of everybody! If she knew what to expect, the drama would be lost! And besides, she paid for one kiss, she ain't getting more then what she paid for!"

"And what about my kisses?" Linus asked, clearly insulted.

"Yours are free."

Linus shook his head. "I don't...I can't...this is too much! Don't let her do this to me Charlie Brown!"

"Listen, you don't have anything to lose! Janice just tossed you aside for a skateboarding rich kid who was probably a lot smoother then you are, Linus. Consider this a way of sprucing up your game for the next girl. And besides, you'll be contributing to a great cause! It's like charity work!"

"What about Pigpen or Shermy? Or Franklin?" Charlie asked. "Did you ask them?"

"Sally doesn't want to kiss them!" Lucy said, crossing her arms. "She doesn't even want to kiss him! But does want to have the perfect kiss for Trent Boyett, so she said Linus would do."

Linus perked up. "Wait a minute! Sally said she didn't want to kiss me?!"

She shook her head. "Nope. She's crazy about Trent Boyett. You're old news, buddy."

Linus stood up. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" she shouted back.

"Well, you tell little Sally Brown that I'll show her! She can practice on me all she likes! And she'll see that Trent Boyett ain't so great! She'll be thinking about me again in no time! She'll be back to calling me her Sweet Babboo before the day is out, just watch! When do we start?"

"Tomorrow afternoon."

"Very well then," Linus nodded, grabbed his blanket, and marched proudly of the room.

"Lucy?" Charlie asked, getting up. "Did Sally really say those things? About Linus?"

With a wink, she cackled and walked away.

TO BE CONTINUED

PS - Thank you for the great reviews. They are inspiring. I appreciate it.