Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown

[daddycat]

Violet: Charlie Brown, we've been feeling awfully guilty about not giving you a valentine this year. Here, I've erased my name from this one. I'd like you to have it.

Schroeder: Hold on there! What do you think you're doing? Who do you think you are? Where were you yesterday when everyone else was giving out valentines? Is kindness and thoughtfulness something you can make retroactive? Don't you think he has any feelings? You and your friends are the most thoughtless bunch I've ever known. You don't care *anything* about Charlie Brown! You just hate to feel guilty! And now you have the nerve to come around one day later and offer him a used valentine just to ease your conscience! Well let me tell you something: Charlie Brown doesn't need your...

Charlie Brown: Don't listen to him! I'll take it!

_http://youtu.be/ttRgIRp1s4s

--

[Reimagined you as Child]

Your Mom or Dad: Child, we've been feeling awfully guilty about not giving you a valentine this year. Here, I've erased my name from this one. I'd like you to have it.

Forum: Hold on there! What do you think you're doing? Who do you think you are? Where were you yesterday when everyone else was giving out valentines? Is kindness and thoughtfulness something you can make retroactive? Don't you think he/she has any feelings? You and your friends are the most thoughtless bunch I've ever known. You don't care *anything* about Child! You just hate to feel guilty! And now you have the nerve to come around one day later and offer him/her a used valentine just to ease your conscience! Well let me tell you something: Child doesn't need your...

Child: Don't listen to him! I'll take it!

 

[gdpetti]

:( Reminds me of a scene in Torey Hayden's ''Murphy's Boy'' when revisiting his old home... even after all the abuse/neglect... that bio-chemical-emotional pull remains... that apparent 'need', something shared with Charlie, and perhaps that girl with the glasses in class (friend of the topboy girl) though she seems more of the intellect type who can explain it all away and suppress most of the damage. Charlie seems more of an open book and suffers the consequences of too much exposure... even his dog, Snoopy, acts more like a cat and essentially ignores him.

The undercurrent of a lot comedy seems always to be pain, as most comedians aren't known for their happy childhoods and to express their truth requires them to learn to mask and project for comic affect. Every time Charlie is neglected or whatnot, who are we suppose to be laughing with or at? Charlie might not be so forgiving if allowed to ever grow up.... but then 'no pain, no gain', right? ;)