The sun had barely peaked over the horizon, but Peppermint Patty was already awake. The truth was that she hadn't really been to sleep. No one could blame her, though. It was her birthday. And really, who could sleep on the night before their birthday? Aside from Christmas, birthdays were the best. On her birthday, she didn't have to share anything with anyone. It was a day just for her.
She bounded out of bed and searched through her closet for just the right outfit. It had to be perfect. After all, a girl had to look her best on her birthday. Girls didn't have birthdays every way. Well, at least not Peppermint Patty.
She pushed the clothes on her clothes rack this way and that until she finally came to the perfect outfit. It was a classic; her signature green shirt with the vertical black strips and knee length black shorts. Classy, but practical. Once she was dressed, she smiled and admired herself in the mirror. Perfect.
"Patty! Breakfast!"
The sound of her mother's voice had her bounding down the stairs and into the kitchen where her parents were standing in front of the table; each of them wearing a smile. But they weren't fooling her. She knew what was coming, for it happened every year; a breakfast birthday party. It was supposed to be a surprise, but she'd come to expect it. Still, she decided to feign innocence. Who was she to spoil her parents' carefully planned surprise?
They smiled brightly. "Happy birthday, Patty!" They said in unison. And then they stepped away from the table, revealing a large spread of pancakes, scones and pastries, orange juice and milk. But it was the center of the table that caught her attention; a square shaped piece of cardboard that had no top or bottom.
"What's all this?"
"Happy birthday Patty!" Her parents shouted again.
She feigned surprise and her hand went to her chest. "All this, for me?"
"Happy birthday, honey!" her mother said.
After she ate till she was stuffed, Patty opened her presents. Her mother gave her a new baseball mitt and a new baseball cap, in green, her favorite color. "Wow, this is great! Thanks Mom!"
"You're welcome, Patty. I hope you'll get good use out of it."
"I sure will! Boy,good old Chuck will be so jealous when he sees this! I'm gonna go and try it out right now!" She jumped down from her chair and started to scramble out of the room but she stopped at the sound of her dad's voice.
"Patty, wait!There's something else."
"Really? You mean, there's more?"
Her dad lifted the cardboard box from the table, revealing a blue vase that was filled with a dozen pink roses. "Happy birthday, honey."
She couldn't believe what she was hearing-or seeing. And she moved closer to take a better look. "These are for me?"
"They certainly are!" her dad said proudly.
"But… why? I mean, I've never gotten roses from anyone before."
"That's right." Her dad said. "You're growing up fast and soon you'll be a beautiful young lady. The boys will be calling you up and taking you out on dates, buying you flowers and candy. And… well, I wanted to be the first person in your life to give you a dozen roses. You're a rare gem, Patty."
Patty was so happy that she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. And so she did both. But only after she hugged her dad tightly. "Thanks Dad. This is the best birthday ever!"
"I'm glad you liked them honey."
"Can I keep them in my room? Can I Mom? Dad?"
Her parents exchanged glances. Her father smiled but her mother looked concerned. "Are you sure that you don't want to keep them here in the kitchen where the whole family can enjoy them? I'm sure that-."
Her father put his hand on her mom's shoulder. "They're Patty's roses, honey. Let her keep them in her room. There's plenty of light up there."
Finally her mom smiled. "All right. That will be fine, Patty."
"Gee! Thanks, Mom! Thanks, Dad! I'm gonna go put them in my room right now! And don't worry; I'll put them by the window where they'll get plenty of light. And then
I'm gonna call Chuck now! Is that all right?"
Her father laughed. "Of course it's all right, Patty. It's your day to do whatever you wish. Tell Charles hello for us, okay?"
"I sure will!Thanks, Mom! Thanks, Dad!"
She bounded out of the kitchen and headed straight for the telephone. She could hardly sit still, waiting for the ringing to stop, but finally the phone was answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey Chuck, come on over and see what my dad gave me for my birthday!"
"Okay, I'll be there in a little while. See you then, Patty."
It was hard, waiting for him because it seemed to take forever, but as she waited, she couldn't stop staring at the pretty blue vase or the pink roses. Nor could she resist pressing her nose to the flowers and inhaling deeply. Never in her life had she smelled anything so good.
The moment the doorbell rang, she hurried down the stairs to answer the door. Charlie Brown was there, smiling at her.
"Hey, Chuck! Glad you could make it! Come on in!"
He waited inside. "Wow, this must be some present if you wanted me to come all the way over here."
"It sure is! Just wait till you see it Chuck! Just wait!"
She reached out her hand and began to run up the stairs. But halfway there she stopped, and she realized that their hands were joined. Charlie Brown seemed just as surprised as she.
"You touched my hand, Chuck!You sly dog!"
His face reddened and he pulled his hand away, but Patty didn't mind. Chuck had always been a shy one. That's why she liked him so much.
When they finally reached her room, she pointed to the window and smiled. "Look, roses!"
Charlie Brown's eyes widened. "Wow!"
"And do you know what my dad said when he gave them to me?"
"No, what did he say?"
It was easy to know where to begin and she didn't hesitate. Soon she had recited the words her dad had said to her word for word. She knew all of the words by heart and she knew that she would always know them, even when she was married, whenever that day would be.
Charlie Brown smiled. "Your dad likes you. Happy birthday, Patty."
After Chuck went home, she climbed onto her chair and stared at the roses, smiling. "Suddenly I feel very feminine."
She found herself thinking about Chuck and wondering if her dad was right. When they were older, like in high school, would Chuck or some other boy call her on the phone or take her to the movies and munch on popcorn while holding hands in their seats? Or would they take her to a dance at school, where they'd wear fancy clothes and dance to fun music? And would a boy give her pink roses and tell her that she was beautiful, the way her dad had done? She really and truly hoped so. But for the time being she was content to dream about it.
Her father had gone off to run an errand, but she promised herself that when he returned she'd thank him again for giving her the best birthday present ever; a look into the future.
THE END