CHAPTER 3: GEARING UP FOR A TRIP TO K.C.
On the other side of town after school. Peppermint Patty was getting a suitcase ready. While the trip she was planning on going wouldn't be for a while, she wanted to be ready, nonetheless. She had gotten permission from her father to visit Charlie Brown in a few weeks, IF it was all right with his parents. She had planned on Marcie to go with her so both of them could visit. Marcie wanted to see him again, as well, but wouldn't force the issue like Patty would. So Marcie would beat Peppermint Patty to the punch and call Charlie Brown before she would to see if it was all right for them to visit. Patty would barge in without announcement and force her way into staying.
She dialed the number that Linus had given her. Luckily, Charlie Brown did answer on the other end of the phone. "Hello?"
"Hi, Charles, it's Marcie."
"Marcie! How are you doing?"
"Good. I wanted to call you before Peppermint Patty did."
"Oh?"
"Well she asked her father if it was all right if she came to visit you in Kansas City. He told her it would be okay, provided that it was fine with your folks. Any other kid would ask the other's parents about it, but we both know that Patty would skirt asking your folks and come directly here. And if she would say anything, it would be that she was coming without even asking."
"Yeah. Getting permission was never Patty's strong suit, amongst others." Charlie Brown thought about the day she invited herself, Marcie, and Franklin over for Thanksgiving, when he and Sally were going to their grandmother's house.
"Anyway, I'm asking for both of us, Charles. If it's all right with your parents, can we come to visit you in a few weeks?"
"That's fine, Marcie. My mother is home right now and I can ask her." After a couple of minutes, he came back. "She said it was okay."
"That's great, Charles. Patty should be calling sometime soon. Now that we know it will be all right, whatever she will say won't matter because we've had permission from your mother already."
"Right! I'll see you soon, Marcie. Take care."
"You too, Charles." Just as he hung up the phone, it started ringing again. He picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Heya, Chuck!" It was, indeed, Peppermint Patty.
"Like clockwork!" Charlie Brown thought to himself.
"My dad said it was all right if I came down to visit you in a few weeks. Just wanted to tell you to clear some space for me and Marcie. I've invited her, as well."
"Marcie wasn't lying!" he thought. Clearing his throat he said, "That's fine, Patty. Can't wait to see you."
"Great! Just think in a few week, you'll be reunited, at least for the week, with your favorite girls! See you soon, pal!" And she hung up, as did he.
"The new gang is going to LOVE Peppermint Patty!" sighed Charlie Brown. "Marcie will probably be fine, but I wonder how Patty will fare out with the K.C. crowd?"
NEXT CHAPTER: COMING TO TERMS ABOUT BAD BEHAVIOR