CHAPTER 3: NARCOLEPSY AT ITS FINEST

Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Franklin were in the same class again this year, only a grade higher. Franklin up front, Marcie in the back, and Patty in dead center, like they always had been. This time they had more company. Patty and Marcie's German boyfriends had come to America and were now students at their school. Hans, the boy they stayed with, was now dating Marcie, and Franco, his best friend, was dating Patty. They were still great friends with Charlie Brown, but the unrequited love they had for him was gone, thanks to Hans and Franco. Plus with Charlie Brown dating Frieda, it was just as well.

Peppermint Patty was falling asleep in class again. Her father was working late again and she stayed up worrying about him. Back in Germany, when she and Marcie were on Foreign Exchange, she had no worries and actually gotten some much needed rest. But now that she was back home, she was falling back into old habits.

"Psst, sir," said Marcie. "The teacher's calling on you."

Patty immediately woke up. "I'm awake! The answer is 12! John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence! Edgar Allan Poe wrote 'The Tell-Tale Heart'!"

"She was just calling roll, sir," Marcie replied.

"Sorry, Marcie," Patty said sadly. "I seem to be falling back into my dumb state. I was determined to do better this year. Especially after everything I learned in Germany. This was what I was afraid of."

"If it'll make you feel better, sir, you can stay the night at my house on those nights your dad works late. Then you won't be by yourself and you can study hard and get plenty of rest."

"Maybe I'll take you up on that, Marcie. I hate being home by myself. This is what makes me sometimes wish I had a mother." Marcie could see her friend tearing up a little.

"Don't worry, sir," Marcie said to Patty. "I'll talk to my parents about it and they can talk to your dad and work something out so you won't have to be home alone all of the time."

"Thanks, Marcie," said Patty, wiping her eyes. "Words can't describe what a good friend you are to me."

"Think nothing of it, sir."

"Although I wish you'd stop calling me 'sir'."

Later that day, Charlie Brown, Linus, Schroeder, Shermy, and Ox were at Charlie Brown's home. Snoopy was there with them, taking a break from whatever he was doing all day. Ox had made quite a few friends for the first day of school. Plus some of the kids who avoided him at first were starting to warm to him. Even Lucy got over her aversion towards him and started talking to him more.

Shermy asked, "So what's life like in Boise, Ox?"

"It's fine," said Ox. "There are a lot of mountains, though. Plus I hate potatoes! When you're from the Potato Capitol of the World, you pretty much are burned out on them. I don't even eat French Fries or potato chips!"

The kids laughed. Everyone was having a good time. Then Sally walked in. "Hey big brother, I was wondering if you've seen my… WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT?!" She pointed to Ox. She hadn't met him yet.

"Sally, this is Ox," Charlie Brown said. "He's a new kid in our class. Ox, this is my sister, Sally."

"Nice to meet you, Sally," Ox replied, politely.

"How tall are you?" the bewildered girl asked. "You could go out for basketball. You could definitely go out for football!"

"You'll have to forgive her," Charlie Brown said with embarrassment. "Tact is not one of Sally's strongest attributes." He glared at his sister, who now looked even more embarrassed than her older brother.

"That's all right, Charlie Brown," said Ox. "I get that quite a bit. I'm used to it."

"So what did you need, Sally?" asked Charlie Brown.

"Oh yeah," Sally remembered. "Have you seen my new ruler? Mr. Frumple gave us a homework assignment. ON THE FIRST DAY! We're just getting back into the swing of things and he's already giving us homework! I think he hates kids. There may not be a dungeon at the school, but I think he has one at his home for kids who don't finish their homework!"

"Well I don't know where your ruler is," Charlie Brown said, "but you can use mine if you need one."

"Thanks, big brother. Does my Sweet Babboo want to help his Sally with her homework assignment?"

"I'M NOT YOUR SWEET BABBOO!" Linus exclaimed. "AND I WOULDN'T HELP YOU GET A ROOT CANAL!"

"Isn't he the cutest thing?" Sally cooed and left the room.

"Sweet Babboo?" said a confused Ox.

"Don't ask!" everyone said in unison.

NEXT CHAPTER: OX AND PATTY SITTING IN A TREE…