Early that evening, a certain primed-and-pretty blonde girl and a dusty disheveled boy could be seen coming out of the movies together. They paid no attention to any passerby who stopped to look at them (well, mainly at the dirty boy), and they were too wrapped up in their own little world. They had just seen the new action thriller that had hit the theatres only in the last days, and they were busy chatting animatedly about it.
"And did you see how that dude came and defended her like that?" Pig-Pen asked Patty Swanson excitedly.
"Oh yeah. That sure was something," Patty agreed.
"It was truly epic," Pig-Pen said. "And the girl who he rescued? While she could sometimes be a snob, she didn't mind that her saving grace was a dude who, as big and strong as he was, could never manage to stay clean for more than a few minutes."
"Yeah," Patty said. "Sadly, some people just don't seem to realize that one's er... cleanliness, does not usually dictate that person's character. Besides, a little dirt never hurt anyone."
Patty gave Pig-Pen a firm pat on the back, which released a dust cloud into the air. Pig-Pen smiled appreciatively at Patty, then the two of them continued walking.
A short while later, the two of them arrived at Pig-Pen's house.
"Well, I'll see you at school tomorrow," Patty told Pig-Pen. "Thanks for going to the movies with me."
"Anytime, Patty," Pig-Pen said. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Pig-Pen then went inside his house. But for a short period of time, Patty continued to stand there, staring at the door. She then gave off a wistful sigh before continuing on her way to her own house.
After all this time, why has he still not asked me to become his girlfriend? she thought. It's literally been years now.
During dinner, Pig-Pen was unusually quiet as he slowly ate. It was just him and his father, Barry, this evening as his mother, Samantha, was volunteering tonight as the bingo caller for bingo night at Sparkyville Retirement Center. Pig-Pen's dad noticed his son's quiet demeanor and decided to ask him about it.
"Everything alright there, Percy my son?" he said. "You've barely touched your food."
"I'm fine, Dad. I was just thinking about something," Pig-Pen replied.
"Hmmm," Barry mused. "You thinking about that Patty girl again, aren't you?"
Pig-Pen nodded.
"There aren't any issues brewing between you two, are there?" Barry questioned. "I mean, you two are as tight as they come."
"No, no, nothing like that," Pig-Pen assured his father.
"Well, that's good to hear," Barry said. "But still, I know you've got something on your mind regarding her. Care to tell me what that is?"
"Okay. Well, see... it's like this," Pig-Pen began, trying to come up with how he wanted to word his thoughts. "You know that Patty likes me, right? And by that, I mean, she likes me likes me. And for quite a while now, I've felt the same way about her."
"That much has been obvious since you both were in like, the third grade," Barry acknowledged. "It's quite clear that the feelings between you two are mutual, and this girl makes you very happy. Despite your condition, she accepts you, and there are things about you that she really admires. Like the fact that you never let your condition affect your attitude towards life."
Pig-Pen smiled at this. What Barry was talking about were the reasons why Pig-Pen had fallen for Patty. There weren't many people out there who wouldn't complain about the way Pig-Pen was. Or visibly show disgust. Or, worst of all, insult or attack him over it. But Patty didn't mind. She never paid attention to all that dust and dirt, and instead, was more interested in the person behind it. This meant a lot to Pig-Pen, especially given what was the true reason behind his condition.
"So then I must ask," Barry then said. "With everything we've discussed, why don't you ask Patty to be your girlfriend?"
"Well... the thing is, Dad," Pig-Pen began. "You know that Patty has a best friend named Violet Gray, right?"
Barry nodded.
"And you know that I've told you that Violet can be a very mean girl," Pig-Pen continued. "I mean, I've gotten my fair share of insults from her. And boy does she love to pick on my pal, Charlie Brown for some unknown reason."
"Yes, I know that," Barry said.
"The reason I don't want to officially ask Patty out yet is because... as much as I like her, she is still very influenced by Violet, and in many ways, is much like her. Although maybe not to the same degree, Patty has had plenty of mean girl moments herself in the past. She also has picked on CB a lot, she loves to gossip with Violet about everyone, and she can be quite judgmental. Basically what I'm saying is... I've been waiting it out in the hopes that she began to change first."
"Ohhhhh, I get it now," Barry said, nodding in understanding. "So all this time, you've been holding off on moral grounds."
"Uh-huh," Pig-Pen said. "If only one day, Patty could break free from being so much like Violet, then she and I could finally progress onto that other level. I really do want this, and I'm certain she does too. But, I need her to be willing to change before I can say I'm ready to officially date her."
Barry smiled, feeling quite proud at his son. Pig-Pen may be dirty on the outside, but he had a clean heart.
Little did Pig-Pen know that someday not too far off, he might at last be getting his wish.
As soon as Patty Swanson had arrived back at home, her initial plan was to go up into her room to study for a big math test that was coming up. But as she was making her way there, she heard the phone begin to ring. It was answered by her mother.
"Hello, Swanson residence. Uh-huh. Hello again, Violet. Yep, I think I just heard her come in. I will get her for you," she said. "Patty, Violet is on the phone. And she sounds kind of irritated."
"Here I come," Patty responded, now heading towards the phone.
"This isn't the first time this afternoon that Violet has called for you," Patty's mother told her as she handed the phone. "Did you two have plans or something?"
"Not today, as far I can remember," Patty replied as she took hold of the phone. "Hello?"
"Girl, where have you been?!" Violet demanded. "We agreed this morning that we were going to have a study-and-gossip date this afternoon."
Patty facepalmed. "Oh, good grief! I totally forgot! I'm really sorry, Violet. I was at the movies with Pig-Pen."
"Ugh, you and that filthy dust magnet!" Violet complained.
"Hey! I don't appreciate you talking about Pig-Pen like that," Patty scolded. "And I can spend time with whoever I damn well please."
"Patty! Watch the language over there!" Patty's mother shouted from the kitchen.
"Sorry, Mom," Patty called back. She then continued on with Violet. "Anyway, I'm sorry about accidentally flaking out on our plans. I could still come over after dinner if you want."
"Actually, why don't I come over to your place this time?" Violet said.
"Okay, that's fine," Patty agreed.
"Great. I'll be over at seven," Violet said. "Wait until you hear about what happened after lunch today. It's insane!"
"I'm sure it is," Patty said. "Anyway, I'll see you soon."
And with that, the call ended. While waiting for seven o' clock, Patty decided to just lounge in the living room for a bit watching television.
It was now about seven-thirty in the evening, and Violet and Patty were congregating up in Patty's bedroom. It was only minutes since studying began when Violet decided that it was gossiping time.
"So, Patty, you ready to hear what happened after lunch today?" Violet asked excitedly.
"Spill it, girl," Patty said with a grin.
"Okay. So you know how Lucy still has that obsession over Schroeder, right?" Violet asked.
"Yeah," Patty replied.
"Well, Lucy was going to, as one might have expected, try to persuade Schroeder to ask her to the Valentine's dance," Violet said. "Apparently, Schroeder is going to the dance, but not with Lucy. He actually asked that blonde-haired girl who sits with Heather and her crew during lunch."
"Mary Stewart?" Patty asked, already knowing the answer.
Violet nodded.
"Okay. But that can't be this grand news you spoke of, right?" Patty said. "I mean, yes, I am kind of surprised Schroeder would want to go to the dance with anyone, but..."
"No, that's not it," Violet interrupted. "It's what Lucy did after Schroeder had turned her down. Patty, as Linus was approaching her, she hit him with a punch so hard that it literally knocked him clean out. He had to go to the emergency room and everything!"
"Oh my gosh!" Patty gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "You're kidding?"
"Nope!" Violet said, laughing. "She was so enraged by this rejection that she snapped like no one had ever seen her do before."
"That's crazy, Violet!" Patty said in shock.
"I know, right? You'd think that after Schroeder having rejected her literally hundreds of times that she'd be used to it," Violet said. "I'm dying to know what it was about this particular instance that caused her to react this way."
"I'm gonna guess it has to do with Mary. I mean, Lucy does not take well to 'competition', and Schroeder and Mary have been getting along pretty well lately, as far as I could tell," Patty said. "Anyway, did anything else happen?"
"Well, Lucy is confined to her room. She's grounded of course. And her movement has been restricted to the point where she cannot even leave her room except for going to the bathroom, or to school. And she's going to be stuck like this for one whole month," Violet told Patty.
"What about Linus? Is he gonna be okay?" Patty asked.
"Probably," Violet answered. "And as for poor Schroeder, he's probably gonna be stressing out over the situation, considering this whole incident involved him."
Patty nodded in agreement.
"You know, Patty my girl, I'm glad that this world has people like us. We would never even think to behave in such a barbaric manner like Lucy had, right Patty?" Violet then said.
By this point, Patty had gone back to studying, but she did acknowledge what Violet said with an "Uh-huh".
"We're also mentally strong, and we know the proper way to react in any situation," Violet continued. "And we, with the best of intentions of course, point out other peoples' flaws as a service to them."
"Yep," Patty said.
"We also make sure that we look presentable at all times. We have nice clothes, and we always make sure that we, and those we associate ourselves with, are dirt and grime-free. Yes sir, we know how to properly live life," Violet finished. She then attempted to get back to studying.
But by this point, Patty was looking up at Violet over her textbook, an unamused look now on her face.
"That's not entirely accurate, Violet," she said.
"What do you mean? Of course it is," Violet replied, appearing confused.
"Yes, we are clean and presentable. But... there is one person who I associate with who is, admittedly, not dirt and grime-free," Patty said plainly.
"Oh, right. I forgot," Violet grumbled, though she hadn't really forgotten. "You're talking about Pig-Pen."
"Uh-huh," Patty said.
"Yuck. Talk about nasty," Violet said in disgust. "I just don't know what you see in him, Patty."
"Look, Violet, Pig-Pen may be a walking 'dust-magnet' as some people call him. But he's got a great temperament," Patty said. "He doesn't let his dustiness or anything get him down. He's strong, confident, and he certainly knows how to show a girl a fun time," Patty explained. She then thought back to earlier in the day when she and him were at the movies together.
"That makes it even worse. He could've been a real cool guy if it wasn't also for the fact that he was a disgusting pig," Violet argued. "But hey, I guess that's why he's called 'Pig-Pen'. The guy truly looks like he belongs living in an actual pig pen."
Patty quickly found herself getting red in the face in anger as Violet continued to insult Pig-Pen right to Patty's face. "I'd appreciate it if you stopped insulting him."
But Violet seemed to not even hear Patty and she continued. "And he doesn't care either. He ignores the disgusted looks on passerby's faces, and... he just doesn't care. I get that we can be harsh when we criticize others, but what Pig-Pen does by refusing to clean up once in a while is nothing short of completely jerkish. What an a-hole."
But Patty at this point had had enough. With that last remark, Violet had gone way too far. Patty violently threw her textbook down and jumped to her feet, startling Violet.
"Okay, you know what?! First, it was over the phone, and now it's here while we are trying to study. And to say to my face that Pig-Pen is an a-hole? Enough is enough! I cannot sit here and listen to you slander Pig-Pen like this for one moment longer!" she shouted.
"Excuse me?" Violet said.
"You heard what I said, Violet Gray! Not another moment longer!" Patty yelled. "I think you should just take your stuff now and go!"
Violet too now rose to her feet. "Fine!"
She hastily gathered her stuff and then proceeded to leave Patty's room. But on her way out, she had one last thing to say.
"When Pig-Pen finally causes you to get a UTI or some other strange disease, don't come crying to me!"
And with that, Violet marched out of Patty's room, slamming the door behind her.
Patty continued to appear enraged as she made an attempt to get back to studying. Unfortunately for her, Violet's words about Pig-Pen continued to ring through her head and she could not concentrate. Patty could tolerate Violet not liking Pig-Pen very much due to the way he looked, but to spew such venom about him was the last thing that Patty was going to stand for. Yes, Pig-Pen was uncontrollably dirty, but he had many other qualities. Qualities which Patty not only liked about him, but which made her fall in love with him. Behind all that dirt, Pig-Pen was an awesome guy, so why wouldn't Violet at least try to be supportive of him and her?
After all, wasn't Violet supposed to be Patty's BFF?
Author's note: So, these past 2 chapter turned out to be rather drama-filled, didn't they? First, Lucy has a beyond extreme to Schroeder taking Mary to the dance instead of her. And now Violet and Patty's friendship may be on the line due to Violet not being willing to accept Patty and Pig-Pen being a thing, and going so far as to say these awful things about him.
Why though did Lucy react this way to being rejected (again)? Was it really because of Mary asking Schroeder and him agreeing to be her date? Will Patty and Violet's friendship survive this whole Pig-Pen drama? What is the "true reason" behind Pig-Pen being the way he is? How are things going to play out for Schroeder and Mary? All this and more in future chapters, so stay tuned for more! Two more chapters, then the Valentine's Day dance officially begins!
Until next time, and Happy New Year! Hopefully, I can get more chapters out this year than I did last year.
Next chapter: Chapter 32 - Soaking Up The Pre-Dance Ambience