The rest of the day, Schroeder could hardly sit still, nor did he have any idea what Miss Othmar was saying. All he could think about was the errand that he had to run after school. And when the bell rang, he grabbed his backpack and raced out of the building as though it were the last day of school before summer vacation. He ran and ran and didn't stop, despite the confused looks of his friends as they called his name.
Schroeder, where are you going?" Charlie Brown yelled. "We've got baseball practice!"
But still Schroeder didn't stop. He ran past houses and barns and even his favorite playground, until he finally came to a stop in front of a familiar store; the place that sold the best baseball gear around. He peered into the window and there it sat; a genuine leather baseball mitt. It was absolutely perfect and Lucy was sure to love it.
He reached into his pocket and his heart sank when he realized that he didn't have any money. His heart sank even further when he saw the price tag. The store wasn't going to be open much longer but if he hurried, he might be able to make it home and back again.
It was a good thing that he was a fast runner. In fact he was one of the fastest in his class. He could even beat Peppermint Patty! And so he took a deep breath and began to run until he reached his house.
Once inside he rushed to his room and went straight for his piggy bank. Inside was all the money he'd been saving for months; almost a year, for a new toy piano. A bright, shiny blue toy piano. He'd wanted one for so long, but suddenly it didn't seem so important to him.
As quickly as possible, he filled his pockets with every dollar and cent he could find and then ran back to the store. Luckily he got there in the nick of time. It was only a few minutes before closing.
The store manager smiled and asked Schroeder if he needed any help as only a grown-up could. Schroeder grinned and told the man that he wanted the baseball mitt that was displayed in the front window. When asked if he had any money, Schroeder reached into his pocket and proudly displayed his hard-earned savings. This seemed to impress the manager who promptly took the baseball mitt and rang it up.
When he handed Schroeder the bag and some change, Schroeder beamed with pride. He thanked the nice man and then ran out of the store headed for home. He could hardly wait to give Lucy her gift.
When that funny feeling in his stomach returned, he ran even faster. Tomorrow would be a day that he would never forget, and hopefully neither would Lucy.