I, Charlie Brown

Since I can remember, other members of my family have compared me to Charlie Brown. Not in a mean way, but in a kind of, hey, Brian has that same dumb round head as Charlie Brown way. No more was the teasing more evident than when Charlie Brown ever encountered the Little Red-Haired Girl. Oh, the teasing I endured. Every time I mentioned a girl from elementary school, off would go the funny little comments. Then "It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown" came out on TV. In that show, if you've never seen it, Charlie Brown does indeed get to kiss the Little Red-Haired Girl, and goes off flying through the clouds. That image was too rich for my brothers and sisters to pass up. So every time I mentioned a girl, they asked if I were flying in the clouds in a way that would let them see up my nose.

Then I got older. I got married. The teasing faded.

Then a few days ago, I got to sorting through a pile of letters I've saved over the years. Found one from my sister Maaike, in which she drew a picture of me flying through the clouds like Charlie Brown, viz:



Though the image is mirrored, I think she did a pretty good job of capturing the essence of the original:



Ah, life is so romantic. Even if your head is round.