CHARLIE ONION: I’M IN LOVE. I’M IN LOVE. MY PALMS ARE SWEATY, MY HEART IS POUNDING, AND THAT’S ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS “KARELLE”.

SPROUT: HI CHARLIE ONION. WHAT’S HAPPENING.

CHARLIE ONION: I’M GOING TO SEE KARELLE. ARE YOU GOING TO THE DANCE TONIGHT?

SPROUT: MAYBE. IF I DO, ARE YOU GOING?

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH. ME AND KARELLE…WE’RE AN ITEM YOU KNOW.

SPROUT: SHE IS A REAL PRETTY ONION I MIGHT SAY.

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH.

SPROUT: WELL, I’LL SEE YOU THERE.

CHARLIE ONION: OKAY. BYE.

(CHARLIE ONION GOES TO OWL’S HOUSE FOR ADVICE)

OWL: HELLO. IS THAT YOU CHARLIE?

CHARLIE ONION: YOU ALWAYS KNOW.

OWL: THAT’S WHY EVERYBODY CALLS ME “THE OWL”.

CHARLIE ONION: I NEED SOME ADVICE. SEE THERE’S A DANCE…

OWL: AND YOU’RE NOT SURE YOU HAVE IT TOGETHER, RIGHT?

CHARLIE ONION: KINDA.

OWL: WHY IS THAT?

CHARLIE ONION: KARELLE HAS BEEN MAKING EYES AT SPROUT LATELY.

OWL: EYES?

CHARLIE ONION: EYES.

OWL: EYES.

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH, EYES. IT DOESN’T TAKE A PAIR OF GLASSES TO SEE THAT KARELLE LIKES SPROUT.

OWL: BUT SHE IS GOING WITH YOU, RIGHT?

CHARLIE ONION: RIGHT.

OWL: YOU’RE GOING TO THE DANCE WITH HER?

CHARLIE ONION: RIGHT.

OWL: SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM.

CHARLIE ONION: I GUESS I SEE SOMETHING IN SPROUT, THAT I DON’T HAVE, AND THAT MAKES ME UNEASY.

OWL: SPROUT IS AN ALL TOGETHER ONION.

CHARLIE ONION: I KNOW. HE LIVES IN THE LAND OF FOREVER, RIGHT.

OWL: AND HE IS ONE OF MY FINEST STUDENTS.

CHARLIE ONION: HE IS?

OWL: YES. AND THAT’S WHAT KARELLE SEES IN SPROUT.

CHARLIE ONION: HE IS SO TALL.

OWL: IT’S THE FOREVER LIFE THAT HE HAS, AND IT’S A PEELING. YOU CAN’T HELP BUT WANT A PIECE OF IT.

CHARLIE ONION: I HAVE TO ADMIT TO THAT TOO. SPROUT SURE HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL.

OWL: YOU BET.

CHARLIE ONION: AND I WANT THAT SOMEDAY.

OWL: SOON, I HOPE.

CHARLIE ONION: I DON’T THINK I’M GOOD ENOUGH.

OWL: YOU ARE, AND I’M COUNTING ON YOU.

CHARLIE ONION: DO YOU THINK I WILL BE READY FOR THE LAND OF FOREVER SOMEDAY.

OWL: I KNOW YOU ARE.

CHARLIE ONION: NESSA THE DINOSAUR LIKES KARELLE TOO.

OWL: I KNOW.

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH, I GUESS YOU ALWAYS DO.

OWL: WELL, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

CHARLIE ONION: I’M GOING TO THE DANCE, AND GET TO KNOW SPROUT BETTER.

OWL: THAT’S MY CHARLIE.

CHARLIE ONION: I KNOW THAT THERE’S A BETTER PLACE FOR ME. I FEEL IT. I REALLY DO.

OWL: IT GETS UNDER YOUR ONION SKIN, HUH!

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH.

OWL: LISTEN TO YOUR HEART, AND THE LAND OF FOREVER IS WITHIN YOUR REACH CHARLIE ONION.

CHARLIE ONION: SEE YOU, SIR OWL.

OWL: BYE, CHARLIE.

THE END OF “CHARLIE ONION’S FIRST DATE”

COPYRIGHT © 2000 BY JOE MEDREK