I wasn’t really sure what to say at that point, so I just went for the obvious. “I’m looking for Charlie Brown.”

The guy laughed so loud that his voice echoed all over the big lobby. “Well, I believe he and Snoopy left just a while ago for a walk in the park!”

Ha ha ha. This guy thought he was really funny.

He was still laughing when he boomed out, “Charlie Brown! Now there’s a first!” He was obviously going to be no help at all.

It was time for me to give this up and go home.

I headed for the doors, and the sumo wrestler who barely fit into his band uniform opened them for me. As I passed him, he whispered, “Charlie Brown is waiting for you in the deli downstairs.”

I whipped around and looked at him. I couldn’t possibly have heard him right, but he had this dead-serious look on his face. At that point, I was tired, I was thirsty, and I was hot—so I lost it on him.

I took a deep breath, looked the sumo wrestler in the eye, and said, “They took Stevie, and now they took Bones, and if you know where they are, you should just tell me instead of sending me to go get a bologna sandwich!”

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