A version of this post originally appeared in 2015.

I heard the familiar, beloved sound of Vince Guaraldi’s Peanuts music and then a voice from the study, “Poor Charlie Brown. He missed the football again.”

Dad asked, “What happened?”

“He tried to kick it and then he bonked his head.”

Dad insisted, “But why?”

“Lucy pulled it away.”

“Why do you think she did that?”

“I have absolutely no idea.” Then a long pause. He is a person for whom spite is literally impossible, I am pretty sure.

“Fear makes people do strange things.” And wisdom appears in the most wonderful moments.