Kind of Blue
Sep15
on 09/15/2016
at 12:03 am
Blue. The color of her hair. The color of disappointment.
I know what you’re going to say… Why won’t I let Randie get a Vespid? Why am I so mean?
I only say. This is not the end of the story.
And Charlie Brown never kicked the football. Ever. But that’s probably not the best way to end this blurb.
Why can’t stories be like real life, where everything always works out perfectly?
Don’t they give you one of those when you become a Nun? Or is that only in Italy?
I’m not sure. I don’t think that there is such a thing… Life, I think, is probably closer to a teeter-totter. Draw your own conclusions. Bad artist pun. Or is it bad pun by artist?
Charlie never kicked the football when Lucy offered to hold it. It’s not the Vespid, it’s the goals. There are more then one Vespid, there is only one Ryan for Randie.
But yes, what a crappy, all to real life situation to deal with.
Art reflects the life we live in. Comic strips are mirrors.
It is real life… but we can deal with it in humor and choose better ways to deal with life’s disappointing situations. We’ll see how Randie deals with this setback.
You’ll get it next time, Randie!
Aw… this reminds me of t-ball (also fitting for Charlie Brown with a baseball-sh reference). When you’re a little kid, the coach always gives you that verbal “you’ll do better next time” assurance when you’re thrown out at first.
No matter how noble the sacrifice, nor how cheerfully it is offered, it is a still a sacrifice.
And a price that has to be paid.
True. Randie knows what has to be done. She’s felt that she doesn’t contribute enough with her income. This is a big contribution now… And more of a sacrifice to be sure. Marriage is like that.
You know I always despised Charlie Brown’s comics. It feels wrong to teach kids to laugh at the kid being singled out and bullied on a daily basis.
I can see your reasoning. Witnessing bullying and kids being mean to one anther is difficult and unpleasant. However, Schulz wrote the strip partly as a response to his own childhood and the feelings he experienced… he placed a mirror up to his own childhood, as well as the feelings that he retained as an adult.
I can relate. There were times in my childhood life where kids made fun of me (I was chubby and most un-athletic). I find it comforting reading CB and his down-and-outness. We had stuff in common. But in Peanuts, CB’s unpopularity is balanced with Snoopy’s exuberance and imagination.
But hey, not everyone is a fan of the Peanuts.
Some story arcs have to have that carrot at the end. Did Charlie Brown ever kick the football?
Right. Randie has ALWAYS dreamed of owning her own Vespid, just as she has always dreamed of going to Paris. The carrot has been constant in “Squid Row” and here as well.
When Schulz decided to end his comic, it was suggested to him that the final comic should be Charlie Brown finally kicking the football. He declined giving Charlie Brown the satisfaction. It wasn’t what the comic strip was about. Life isn’t like that.
I agree. Life isn’t like that. There are so many “near misses” in life. And I might argue that a “Cinderella endings” would make for more of a fairy tale than a commentary on real life.
Oh, I’m glad she still has her magic vespid! We gotta hold on to dreams when reality kind of sucks a little…..
Yes, the Magic Vespid lives! And on it she shall ride to Paris! Vive Paris! Vive la Vespide!
Keep the dream alive long enough and you’ll reach it, that’s all I say. It took me 20 years to track down a copy of James O’Barr’s collected ‘The Crow’ comics, but hey….. 20 years later I’ve got it! And it was all worth the wait.
Never lose sight of it… whatever “it” is… I’m glad it worked out for you!
Rye Bread owes Randi. When he gets enough money from writing, he should buy her the Vespid she wants.
I don’t think he would hold back on her if he’s able. But right now he’s the main bread winner – and it looks like most $$ goes to r/l issues – rent/bills/etc
Michael… Ryan has always known that Randie REALLY wants a Vespid. agreed. I will post the first time Ryan and Randie talk about it… in the blog section.
Anne… agreed.
Charley Brown did kick the ball once, in cartoon It’s Magic Charley Brown. Snoopy got his hands on a magic book and turned Charley Brown (it just doesn’t seem right to just call him Charley does it?) invisible.
While invisible he kicked the ball. Mind you Lucie says since no one saw it, there is no proof who kicked the ball.
Wow! I missed that one.. it was an animated situation. Sounds very fantastical. I want to know more and must go find it! Thanks…
Yeah, but the TV series doesn’t count.
I like the last of the football gags, where Lucy sent Rerun out with the ball. When she asked what happened, he said, “You’ll never know.”