Chapter VI – Band Camp...AAUGH! – Part 1
Two weeks later, Charlie Brown found himself on his way to the first day of band camp. He knew it would be very hard work, but he was looking forward to it because he knew he would get to see the Little Red Haired Girl. When he arrived at the band room, most of his friends were already there.
Molly Volley immediately found Charlie Brown. "Okay, Kid! This is how things are gonna work. We're gonna go out on to the practice field, and I'm gonna teach you how to march. Ya got that kid?" She said.
"Sure," said Charlie Brown.
"Not 'sure'. When we're at practice and I tell you something, you say 'YES SIR'! Because that's how we do things around here in this band. You got that?" Molly Volley lectured.
"I guess...I mean YES SIR!" Charlie Brown said.
"That's better," she said.
Soon Mr. Dunlap called all of the students to their seats and explained the schedule for the day. First, they were to go outside onto the practice field, and learn how to march, and then learn the first few charts of the halftime drill. Then, later in the afternoon, they were going to practice music.
Later that morning, the students walked on to the practice field for the first time. Many of the students found disappointment upon first seeing the field. Because the football coaches of the school were very touchy, the band was not allowed to practice on the main field in the school's stadium. The band instead was allotted a large area of field located behind the school. The field was neatly lined, numbered, and painted, and behind the field, there was a small lake. This lake was an area of inhabitance for flocks of geese and ducks and the like, which created a small problem for the band. When a flock would soar above the field, they often left "business" on the field. As a result, anyone who set foot on the field was bound to get their shoes in this "business". The custodians of the school tried their best to keep the field clean while marching band season was in progress, but they were not always able to keep up.
Molly Volley had her section, consisting only of Charlie Brown, lined up on the thirty yard line. All of the other instrumental sections had their designated marching area on the field as well.
"Ok, kid! March forward eight counts and halt! Any questions?" Molly Volley commanded.
"NO SIR!" called back Charlie Brown.
Charlie Brown took his first few steps forward, thinking how easy this was going to be when suddenly, he thought too soon. KLUNK! Charlie Brown had fallen flat on his face. Immediately, he rose to his feet and looked around to see if anyone had seen his moment of blockheadedness. He was afraid that the Little Red Haired Girl had seen him and was laughing. But this was not the case.
"OK Kid! Try it again!" Molly Volley commanded.
On his second attempt, Charlie Brown managed not to trip again, but he found himself being totally out of step. He sighed as Molly Volley made him try it again. "I guess this isn't as easy as I thought," he thought to himself.
But Charlie Brown was not the only one having troubles with their first marching attempt. Elsewhere on the field, Peppermint Patty was finding out that Marcie was just about as inept at marching as she was at playing baseball.
"Alright Marcie, Let's try and get it right this time." Peppermint Patty said.
"YES SIR!" Marcie called out.
"Will you PLEASE quit calling me Sir!" Peppermint Patty demanded.
"But Mr. Dunlap gave me permission to call you 'Sir'!" Marcie said.
"Look, I don't care if George Washington gave you permission. Quit calling me Sir!" Peppermint Patty said hotly.
Just then, the flute section was marching by the drumline. Lucy barked out commands with Frieda and Violet responding back, "YES SIR!"
"See?" said Marcie, "Lucy doesn't mind being called 'Sir.'"
"AAUGH!!!" Screamed Peppermint Patty out of frustration.
The trombone section was having their fair share of problems as well. None of them could manage to march in a straight line. The problem was that none of them could see due to the large cloud of dust that surrounded the section. This, of course was Pig Pen's cloud.
Snoopy, the trumpet section leader, was at this time arguing with his section. "No! You can't fly in marching band! You HAVE to march! It's not called a flying band! Now quit being ridiculous. I can't believe you birds!"
In response to this Woodstock said, "!! !!! !!!!!"
"I know you're a bird, but come on! Besides, you can't even fly in a straight line. How do you expect to fly in a straight line when you're playing an instrument?" Snoopy continued to argue with Woodstock.
Woodstock reached into his trumpet case and pulled out a compass and a level, and then taped them on to his trumpet. He then made an attempt to fly with the contraption, using it as a makeshift navigation system. This attempt was quickly proved to be unsuccessful, as Woodstock quickly lost control and crashed right into Snoopy's nose.
"Good grief! This is ridiculous! What kind of bird are you if you need a navigation system to fly?!?! Now get into that line and fall into attention!" Snoopy commanded sternly. He was obviously not at all happy with his section.
After working on marching basics for a little over an hour, it was time for the band to begin learning the drill formations for their field show.
Mr. Dunlap introduced the students to a man by the name of Mr. Randall. He was to be the band's marching instructor, and he was additionally responsible for writing the marching drill. He gave all of the students a copy of this drill.
"Alright, I'm gonna show you where to sent the first chart," Molly Volley said as she pushed Charlie Brown across the field. Upon studying the drill further she stopped, and frowned as she said "Every year we start the same; two circles, one on one side of the fifty, and one on the other side of the fifty. And then one year, the band got so small, we could only have one circle!"
The band fell into attention in the formation of two circles, and then proceeded to march into the second formation. Mr. Dunlap was determined to do a thorough job of teaching the drill, because he wanted to make sure that the students learned it. So, he made the students take it back and march it over....and over....and over...and over.
By this time, the cool morning air had turned to humid and hot, with the sun beating directly down on everyone. The students were beginning to become a bit cranky. Not only was it hot outside, but they had accomplished little more than learning one drill move.
"What seems to be the problem, Sir?" Marcie asked.
"This is all messed up, Marcie. We keep on running into the flute sections, the trombones are running over the trumpets, and the clarinets can't get to their spot in time." Peppermint Patty said with an annoyed tone of voice.
Marcie looked to the front of the field where Mr. Dunlap and Mr. Randall were standing. "Look Sir! It looks like Mr. Dunlap and Mr. Randal are having an argument!"
"Marcie! It's not nice to stare!" Peppermint Patty said in a loud whisper.
"Did you hear that, Sir? Mr. Dunlap just told Mr. Randall that his drill writing is terrible!" Marcie said, now paying full attention to the confrontation between the two teachers.
"Marcie! It's not nice to listen in on other people's conversations!" Peppermint Patty reprimanded her again.
"And did you hear that, Sir? Mr. Randall just said that Mr. Dunlap doesn't even know what good drill writing is!" As if she were an announcer broadcasting a football game, Marcie was now giving a detailed account of what was turning into a heated argument.
"Look, Sir! Mr. Dunlap just hit Mr. Randall over the head with a stack of drill chart papers! Oh! And did you see that? Mr. Randall just hit Mr. Dunlap over the head with a flag pole! DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THAT MR. DUNLAP!" Marcie called out.
"Marcie! Stay out of it!" Peppermint Patty desperately tried to warn her.
"Look what's going on now Sir! The big lady with the funny looking hair is coming!" Marcie reported.
"Marcie! That's not a nice way to talk about someone!" Peppermint Patty again corrected her.
"The big lady with funny looking hair is trying to break up the fight!"
"Be quiet Marcie! She may hear you!"
"Now Mr. Dunlap is yelling at the big lady with funny looking hair!"
"MARCIE!!!!"
"Oh no, Sir! Mr. Dunlap just pushed the big lady with funny looking hair! AAUGH!!!" Marcie screamed as she covered her eyes. She couldn't stand to watch as the big lady with funny looking hair rolled down the hill and landed in a bin of dirty band uniforms that were on their way to the dry cleaners.
Marcie opened her eyes again and said "Look now, Sir! The big lady with funny looking hair is coming back up the hill, and she looks really mad! Look! She has a flag pole in her hands she's chasing after Mr. Dunlap and Mr. Randall!"
Marcie and Peppermint Patty watched as the lady with funny looking hair ran after Mr. Dunlap and Mr. Randall, as she was wildly swinging the flag pole in the air, trying desperately to hit one of them.
"!!! !!! !?" Woodstock asked Snoopy.
"What does this mean? I believe it means...it's time for lunch!" he answered.
Lunch was the time of day very much looked forward to by the band students. It was a break from all of the hard work, and they could go inside away from the sun, where it was a lot cooler. For Charlie Brown, however, the lunch hour was a time he dreaded. He found his lunch bag and sat down on the floor in the band room. He figured this wouldn't be much different than the lunch hours during the school year, and he would sit all alone. Feeling a little ignored, he opened up his lunch bag and found exactly what he was expecting – a peanut butter sandwich. Charlie Brown sighed as he took a bite from it. "Loneliness tastes like a peanut butter sandwich," he often thought to himself. "I guess when you're a dull person like I am, and no one wants to sit with you, this is the kind of thing they give you to eat. Look at the other kids. They are all talking to each other and enjoying non-peanut butter lunches. And look at the Little Red Haired Girl. It looks like she has a ham and cheese sandwich. I guess if you're really something, like the Little Red Haired Girl is, you get to have ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch. Still, I shouldn't complain. Mom works hard at making my lunches. Or, maybe by giving me peanut butter sandwiches, she is nicely trying to say, that I'm dull...."
Charlie Brown's thoughts were interrupted as he saw Woodstock and friends hauling a giant red cooler across the band room. Snoopy followed not far behind.
"Snoopy...how much food did you bring for lunch?" Charlie Brown said, a little exasperated.
"You should never play and march on an empty stomach!" Snoopy thought as they walked past Charlie Brown.
The yellow birds set the cooler down on the floor, and Snoopy eagerly threw open the lid. They emptied the contents of the container and closed it. Snoopy then draped a table cloth over the cooler, to create a makeshift dinner table. Woodstock and friends set the table with dishes and silverware. Snoopy then set the meal's appetizer on the table.
"Shrimp cocktail! Good grief!" Charlie Brown said as watched the scene unfold.
The trumpet section happily gulped down the food. Charlie Brown watched as Snoopy picked up a smaller piece of shrimp, and hurled it towards Woodstock. Woodstock flew up, as best as he could, and caught it in his mouth as it soared in midair. When they had finished all of the shrimp, Snoopy then served a Caesar salad. The birds munched loudly on the lettuce and croutons as they all chattered away in conversation. When the salad was finished, Snoopy served the main course; spaghetti and meatballs!
Charlie Brown looked down at his plain old peanut butter sandwich, and then looked back up at Snoopy and Woodstock and company as they enjoyed a classy meal of spaghetti and meatballs. "And," he thought to himself, "I guess if you're a dog, and your owner is a total wishy-washy blockhead, they feel sorry for you, and you get to have spaghetti and meatballs for lunch." He looked over at Snoopy again. They were now having desert. "Good grief! Don't tell me they brought a whole watermelon!" he said out loud.
"What's the matter, Charlie Brown?" Linus said as he joined him.
"My dog gets a four course meal for lunch, and all I get is a peanut butter sandwich," Charlie Brown responded with a sigh.
Two weeks later, Charlie Brown found himself on his way to the first day of band camp. He knew it would be very hard work, but he was looking forward to it because he knew he would get to see the Little Red Haired Girl. When he arrived at the band room, most of his friends were already there.
Molly Volley immediately found Charlie Brown. "Okay, Kid! This is how things are gonna work. We're gonna go out on to the practice field, and I'm gonna teach you how to march. Ya got that kid?" She said.
"Sure," said Charlie Brown.
"Not 'sure'. When we're at practice and I tell you something, you say 'YES SIR'! Because that's how we do things around here in this band. You got that?" Molly Volley lectured.
"I guess...I mean YES SIR!" Charlie Brown said.
"That's better," she said.
Soon Mr. Dunlap called all of the students to their seats and explained the schedule for the day. First, they were to go outside onto the practice field, and learn how to march, and then learn the first few charts of the halftime drill. Then, later in the afternoon, they were going to practice music.
Later that morning, the students walked on to the practice field for the first time. Many of the students found disappointment upon first seeing the field. Because the football coaches of the school were very touchy, the band was not allowed to practice on the main field in the school's stadium. The band instead was allotted a large area of field located behind the school. The field was neatly lined, numbered, and painted, and behind the field, there was a small lake. This lake was an area of inhabitance for flocks of geese and ducks and the like, which created a small problem for the band. When a flock would soar above the field, they often left "business" on the field. As a result, anyone who set foot on the field was bound to get their shoes in this "business". The custodians of the school tried their best to keep the field clean while marching band season was in progress, but they were not always able to keep up.
Molly Volley had her section, consisting only of Charlie Brown, lined up on the thirty yard line. All of the other instrumental sections had their designated marching area on the field as well.
"Ok, kid! March forward eight counts and halt! Any questions?" Molly Volley commanded.
"NO SIR!" called back Charlie Brown.
Charlie Brown took his first few steps forward, thinking how easy this was going to be when suddenly, he thought too soon. KLUNK! Charlie Brown had fallen flat on his face. Immediately, he rose to his feet and looked around to see if anyone had seen his moment of blockheadedness. He was afraid that the Little Red Haired Girl had seen him and was laughing. But this was not the case.
"OK Kid! Try it again!" Molly Volley commanded.
On his second attempt, Charlie Brown managed not to trip again, but he found himself being totally out of step. He sighed as Molly Volley made him try it again. "I guess this isn't as easy as I thought," he thought to himself.
But Charlie Brown was not the only one having troubles with their first marching attempt. Elsewhere on the field, Peppermint Patty was finding out that Marcie was just about as inept at marching as she was at playing baseball.
"Alright Marcie, Let's try and get it right this time." Peppermint Patty said.
"YES SIR!" Marcie called out.
"Will you PLEASE quit calling me Sir!" Peppermint Patty demanded.
"But Mr. Dunlap gave me permission to call you 'Sir'!" Marcie said.
"Look, I don't care if George Washington gave you permission. Quit calling me Sir!" Peppermint Patty said hotly.
Just then, the flute section was marching by the drumline. Lucy barked out commands with Frieda and Violet responding back, "YES SIR!"
"See?" said Marcie, "Lucy doesn't mind being called 'Sir.'"
"AAUGH!!!" Screamed Peppermint Patty out of frustration.
The trombone section was having their fair share of problems as well. None of them could manage to march in a straight line. The problem was that none of them could see due to the large cloud of dust that surrounded the section. This, of course was Pig Pen's cloud.
Snoopy, the trumpet section leader, was at this time arguing with his section. "No! You can't fly in marching band! You HAVE to march! It's not called a flying band! Now quit being ridiculous. I can't believe you birds!"
In response to this Woodstock said, "!! !!! !!!!!"
"I know you're a bird, but come on! Besides, you can't even fly in a straight line. How do you expect to fly in a straight line when you're playing an instrument?" Snoopy continued to argue with Woodstock.
Woodstock reached into his trumpet case and pulled out a compass and a level, and then taped them on to his trumpet. He then made an attempt to fly with the contraption, using it as a makeshift navigation system. This attempt was quickly proved to be unsuccessful, as Woodstock quickly lost control and crashed right into Snoopy's nose.
"Good grief! This is ridiculous! What kind of bird are you if you need a navigation system to fly?!?! Now get into that line and fall into attention!" Snoopy commanded sternly. He was obviously not at all happy with his section.
After working on marching basics for a little over an hour, it was time for the band to begin learning the drill formations for their field show.
Mr. Dunlap introduced the students to a man by the name of Mr. Randall. He was to be the band's marching instructor, and he was additionally responsible for writing the marching drill. He gave all of the students a copy of this drill.
"Alright, I'm gonna show you where to sent the first chart," Molly Volley said as she pushed Charlie Brown across the field. Upon studying the drill further she stopped, and frowned as she said "Every year we start the same; two circles, one on one side of the fifty, and one on the other side of the fifty. And then one year, the band got so small, we could only have one circle!"
The band fell into attention in the formation of two circles, and then proceeded to march into the second formation. Mr. Dunlap was determined to do a thorough job of teaching the drill, because he wanted to make sure that the students learned it. So, he made the students take it back and march it over....and over....and over...and over.
By this time, the cool morning air had turned to humid and hot, with the sun beating directly down on everyone. The students were beginning to become a bit cranky. Not only was it hot outside, but they had accomplished little more than learning one drill move.
"What seems to be the problem, Sir?" Marcie asked.
"This is all messed up, Marcie. We keep on running into the flute sections, the trombones are running over the trumpets, and the clarinets can't get to their spot in time." Peppermint Patty said with an annoyed tone of voice.
Marcie looked to the front of the field where Mr. Dunlap and Mr. Randall were standing. "Look Sir! It looks like Mr. Dunlap and Mr. Randal are having an argument!"
"Marcie! It's not nice to stare!" Peppermint Patty said in a loud whisper.
"Did you hear that, Sir? Mr. Dunlap just told Mr. Randall that his drill writing is terrible!" Marcie said, now paying full attention to the confrontation between the two teachers.
"Marcie! It's not nice to listen in on other people's conversations!" Peppermint Patty reprimanded her again.
"And did you hear that, Sir? Mr. Randall just said that Mr. Dunlap doesn't even know what good drill writing is!" As if she were an announcer broadcasting a football game, Marcie was now giving a detailed account of what was turning into a heated argument.
"Look, Sir! Mr. Dunlap just hit Mr. Randall over the head with a stack of drill chart papers! Oh! And did you see that? Mr. Randall just hit Mr. Dunlap over the head with a flag pole! DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THAT MR. DUNLAP!" Marcie called out.
"Marcie! Stay out of it!" Peppermint Patty desperately tried to warn her.
"Look what's going on now Sir! The big lady with the funny looking hair is coming!" Marcie reported.
"Marcie! That's not a nice way to talk about someone!" Peppermint Patty again corrected her.
"The big lady with funny looking hair is trying to break up the fight!"
"Be quiet Marcie! She may hear you!"
"Now Mr. Dunlap is yelling at the big lady with funny looking hair!"
"MARCIE!!!!"
"Oh no, Sir! Mr. Dunlap just pushed the big lady with funny looking hair! AAUGH!!!" Marcie screamed as she covered her eyes. She couldn't stand to watch as the big lady with funny looking hair rolled down the hill and landed in a bin of dirty band uniforms that were on their way to the dry cleaners.
Marcie opened her eyes again and said "Look now, Sir! The big lady with funny looking hair is coming back up the hill, and she looks really mad! Look! She has a flag pole in her hands she's chasing after Mr. Dunlap and Mr. Randall!"
Marcie and Peppermint Patty watched as the lady with funny looking hair ran after Mr. Dunlap and Mr. Randall, as she was wildly swinging the flag pole in the air, trying desperately to hit one of them.
"!!! !!! !?" Woodstock asked Snoopy.
"What does this mean? I believe it means...it's time for lunch!" he answered.
Lunch was the time of day very much looked forward to by the band students. It was a break from all of the hard work, and they could go inside away from the sun, where it was a lot cooler. For Charlie Brown, however, the lunch hour was a time he dreaded. He found his lunch bag and sat down on the floor in the band room. He figured this wouldn't be much different than the lunch hours during the school year, and he would sit all alone. Feeling a little ignored, he opened up his lunch bag and found exactly what he was expecting – a peanut butter sandwich. Charlie Brown sighed as he took a bite from it. "Loneliness tastes like a peanut butter sandwich," he often thought to himself. "I guess when you're a dull person like I am, and no one wants to sit with you, this is the kind of thing they give you to eat. Look at the other kids. They are all talking to each other and enjoying non-peanut butter lunches. And look at the Little Red Haired Girl. It looks like she has a ham and cheese sandwich. I guess if you're really something, like the Little Red Haired Girl is, you get to have ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch. Still, I shouldn't complain. Mom works hard at making my lunches. Or, maybe by giving me peanut butter sandwiches, she is nicely trying to say, that I'm dull...."
Charlie Brown's thoughts were interrupted as he saw Woodstock and friends hauling a giant red cooler across the band room. Snoopy followed not far behind.
"Snoopy...how much food did you bring for lunch?" Charlie Brown said, a little exasperated.
"You should never play and march on an empty stomach!" Snoopy thought as they walked past Charlie Brown.
The yellow birds set the cooler down on the floor, and Snoopy eagerly threw open the lid. They emptied the contents of the container and closed it. Snoopy then draped a table cloth over the cooler, to create a makeshift dinner table. Woodstock and friends set the table with dishes and silverware. Snoopy then set the meal's appetizer on the table.
"Shrimp cocktail! Good grief!" Charlie Brown said as watched the scene unfold.
The trumpet section happily gulped down the food. Charlie Brown watched as Snoopy picked up a smaller piece of shrimp, and hurled it towards Woodstock. Woodstock flew up, as best as he could, and caught it in his mouth as it soared in midair. When they had finished all of the shrimp, Snoopy then served a Caesar salad. The birds munched loudly on the lettuce and croutons as they all chattered away in conversation. When the salad was finished, Snoopy served the main course; spaghetti and meatballs!
Charlie Brown looked down at his plain old peanut butter sandwich, and then looked back up at Snoopy and Woodstock and company as they enjoyed a classy meal of spaghetti and meatballs. "And," he thought to himself, "I guess if you're a dog, and your owner is a total wishy-washy blockhead, they feel sorry for you, and you get to have spaghetti and meatballs for lunch." He looked over at Snoopy again. They were now having desert. "Good grief! Don't tell me they brought a whole watermelon!" he said out loud.
"What's the matter, Charlie Brown?" Linus said as he joined him.
"My dog gets a four course meal for lunch, and all I get is a peanut butter sandwich," Charlie Brown responded with a sigh.