A Rock and a Pumpkin Patch

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A small curiousity had been nagging at me, in the back of my mind, since I last watched “The Great Pumpkin” Charlie Brown last October.   Why did all the kids get candy, and Charlie Brown kept getting rocks?   I’m sure Charlie started the night hopeful, wearing his obviously homemade ghost costume with multiple eye holes. I loved that he looked different from everyone else. But, ALAS, I’m afraid the adults didn’t feel that way.As all the kids received candy or money during trick or treat, he kept getting rocks! What kind of people would be so cruel? Here it was, the most important night of the year for kids, and he was sent a message that he wasn’t good enough to get candy.

Everything always turns out well in the end, and I’m sure Charles Schultz was just confirming his characters “black cloud over your head” life, who kept his spirits up and always had the support of his best friend.

Once I moved on from feeling sad for Charlie, I began to see a bigger message appear through Linus and Sally’s (with “naturally curly hair”) relationship, or so she thought. Sally is determined to make Linus her man, and through that self commitment decides to forgo  Halloween to be by his side. Linus doesn’t really calculate her commitment fully, but is glad to have someone by his side, and help her understand the wonders of “The Great Pumpkin”.

Here is where you know what’s going to happen…the Great Pumpkin, disguised at Snoopy, or rather Snoopy disguised as The Great Pumpkin rises from the patch.   It dawns on Sally that Linus’ beliefs are a crock of you know what, and she feels the wave of disappointment and anger come crashing down on her.   Her reaction is perfect. Wow, she really lets him have it.   I have often tried to, deservedly, have that reaction without actually finding my voice.   Sally not only found her voice, she raised her voice and let her “boyfriend” know that she was pissed.  She was the ultimate supportive “girlfriend”, as she reluctantly adopting his dream and supported his beliefs.

No one believed Linus’ belief in The Great Pumpkin, but it was his choice, that he fully relished, to skip bagfuls of candy and wait for something greater.   She did it for the relationship. If she stood by his side, and they both witnessed this event, then that would seal their destiny together. Really Sally?

I enjoy this movie every year, and have recently seen Linus in a new light. I admire his commitment to his dream of seeing The Great Pumpkin. He was not going to listen to anyone.   His mind was made up.   I also love Sally’s devotion to her alleged boyfriend.   Her devotion bordered on absurd, but very very endearing.

I think Sally wanted a rock, unlike Charlies. She was willing to lose herself to be “the better half”.   She forgot about her own pumpkin patch, and adopted her man’s dream.   Not uncommon.

I have waited for “The Great Pumpkin” myself.   And, when he didn’t show up, I walked out of the pumpkin patch.   I have kept any anger to myself…days lost,  years lost,  time lost.  The major difference between myself and Sally is that she got MAD AS HELL, and she wasn’t going to take it!   I just moved on.

I’m back to trick or treating, noticing people in pumpkin patches, but not missing out on the best night of the year….during the best years of my life.