CHAPTER 4: CELEBRATION OF LIFE
Per his wishes, Silas was cremated before his funeral and his urn would be on full display during the memorial. He didn't want anyone to see him in the casket shriveled up. Charlie Brown and Sally, along with their mother Maureen, greeted everyone who came in, including his employees at the shop, as well as rival barbers who came to pay their respects. Marcie, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, Franklin, Frieda, Shermy, Tracy, Patty, and even Violet, came to pay their respects, as well. Sally's boyfriend Gene had flown in from Myrtle Beach to be at his girlfriend's side. Linus took notice of the two hugging one another. Lucy looked over at her brother.
"She has her man with her now," she said. "Don't make a scene here during Charlie Brown's father's funeral."
"Don't worry, I'm not going to start anything, sis," assured Linus. "I know this isn't the place for that kind of drama. Still, what does she see in that guy? She made him out to be some handsome prince, but he looks like Mort from Family Guy without the buck teeth and glasses!"
"You're one to talk. When was the last time you did a sit-up, hm?" Lucy poked at Linus's pudgy belly.
"Point taken. Still, there's something about that guy I don't like."
"You mean because he's with Sally?"
"Besides that! I have a feeling he's hiding something. I don't know what, as of yet, but I'm going to feel him out. After the funeral, of course."
"Of course."
As the minister began the memorial service, a dirty, disheveled person came into the funeral home. They were clad in a trench coat that needed washing desperately, and a giant hat, hiding most of their face. No one took notice of the newcomer, as they entered quietly. Once in they sat down at a pew in the back that was empty. Some of the folks took notice of the person that had entered.
"That person is even dirtier than Pig Pen used to be!" whispered Violet to Patty.
"I know," agreed Patty. "Something about that person is familiar, though."
"Now that you mention it, they do look like someone we were once acquainted with."
The minister then said, "At this time, Silas's oldest child Charles will say a few words." And everyone got up and watched Charlie Brown get up and head to the podium. The person who had just came in gasped when they saw him. Charlie Brown cleared his throat.
"Many of you know who my father was," he began. "To many he was the neighborhood barber, someone you could talk to while getting your hair cut. To me and my sister, he was 'Dad'. He wasn't embarrassed of my flaws, he didn't care if I couldn't fly a kite, it didn't matter how many baseball games I lost, he still loved me unconditionally. And that said a lot. My father may have been just the neighborhood barber, but to me, he was my hero. He always told me it would be alright whenever the neighborhood kids mocked me or chastised me for losing a game." Some of his friends and former baseball teammates lowered their heads, as they were now remorseful for how they treated him. "He would always say, 'Son, don't worry about how others think you're doing, as long as you give it your all, it shouldn't matter.' Eventually I took those words he said to heart after an unfortunate event that happened some years ago, which I won't talk about here." Violet wiped a tear away, knowing it was about what she did to him. "Besides that I have already forgiven the person responsible. But, I eventually stopped taking everything people said to heart, because it the ones who want you to fail that will keep you down, and the ones who build you up will always be in your corner, no matter what. And my father had to deal with a lot as a business owner with cranky folks, bill collectors, and just downright awful people, but he never took what they said to heart because he knew it would be okay in the end. And I know, even with him gone, everything will be okay. It hurts not having him here, no doubt about that, but I know we will see him again soon. Thank you." And Charlie Brown took his seat. Before sitting back down, he looked at the person in the back. The person quickly got up and left.
"Who was that, Charlie?" Sally asked him.
"I don't know, Sally," said Charlie Brown. "Something about that person, though. It's like they were familiar to me."
Outside of the funeral home, the person ran for what seemed forever. Once far enough away, they started crying. Tears streaming down their dirty face, the person just said one statement.
"I missed you, Chuck."
END OF PART 8
