We all know what Peppermint Patty is like, right? Because her dad kept working night shifts, she would become very sleep-deprived.
But now that Peppermint Patty is in junior high, there was absolutely nothing that could put her to sleep. Even when she tried to get to sleep, Marcie, her best friend, would keep waking her up.
One day, Peppermint Patty arrived in her homeroom along with Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Violet, the other Patty, Franklin, Janice, Heather, Tommy, Frieda, Shermy, Emerald, Scarlet, Pig-Pen, and of course, her best friend forever, Marcie.
"Ah, good morning, everyone." Said Peppermint Patty as she took her desk.
But as Peppermint Patty sat down, she began to drift off to sleep.
"Er, Sir?" Marcie called.
But Peppermint Patty was sleeping so deeply, she didn't hear Marcie.
"Sir!" Marcie called again. "Sir!"
Marcie pushed Peppermint Patty flat on her nose, causing her to wake up.
"I'm awake! I'm awake!" Peppermint Patty cried. "1965! 2004! Was I close, Marcie?"
"Mr. Othmar is calling the roll, Sir." Marcie explained.
Peppermint Patty did her best to stay awake.
"Patty?" Mr. Othmar called.
"Here, Mr. Othmar!" Patty Swanson called.
"Not you." said Mr. Othmar. "Patty Reichardt!"
Here….." Peppermint Patty said sleepily.
"Patricia? Are you sleeping?" asked Mr. Othmar.
"Wake up, Sir!" Marcie called as she pushed her off her chair.
"Yes! Present, Sir!" Peppermint Patty cried.
"Patricia. Are you alright?" Mr. Othmar asked Peppermint Patty.
"I'm fine." Peppermint Patty replied sleepily. "Just resting my eyes."
"Since it's not time to go to class yet," said Mr. Othmar. "you should have enough time to sleep until then."
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Othmar!" said Peppermint Patty as she went back to sleep.
When it was time for class, Marcie came up to Peppermint Patty, who was still fast asleep.
"Er, Sir?" Marcie called. "Sir! Sir!"
Marcie pushed Peppermint Patty flat on her nose, causing her to wake up.
"Er….. 2006! 1990! How did I do?" Peppermint Patty asked her bespectacled friend.
"It's time for first class, Sir." Marcie explained.
"Oh. Right! What was it again?" Peppermint Patty asked.
"You have maths first, Sir." Marcie explained. "With me, Charles, Thomas, Janice, Franklin and Linus."
"Oh good grief!" Peppermint Patty groaned. "Not math! I hate math!"
"Everything has to do with maths, Sir."
"Take your maths and let me get more sleep." Peppermint Patty said as she nodded off again.
"Sir? Sir!" Marcie whispered loudly. "If class time won't wake her up, then I'll drag her to class."
So that's what Marcie did. She pulled Peppermint Patty by both legs, bringing her to their math class.
Later, Marcie and Peppermint Patty arrived in math class, 5 minutes late. Mr. Arithma, their teacher, wasn't happy.
"Sorry we're late, Sir." Said Marcie. "Patricia just dozed off again, and if it weren't for her sleeping, I'd have gotten here faster."
Marcie placed Peppermint Patty in her chair, and went to fill in a time sheet for making it late.
"No, Marcie." Said Mr. Arithma. "Patricia will fill that in."
"Yes, Sir." Sighed Marcie as she went to her desk.
Marcie turned to Peppermint Patty, who was still sleeping.
"Sir! Sir! SIR!"
Marcie pushed Peppermint Patty over, causing her to fall out of her chair, and land on the floor.
"Oh! Five billion! Was I close?" asked Peppermint Patty.
"Go and fill in the time sheet, Sir." Marcie said.
"Alright. If I must."
And Peppermint Patty walked up to Mr. Arithma, still sleepy.
"Sorry I'm late, Sir." Said Peppermint Patty as she drowsily filled in a time sheet.
Peppermint Patty went to her seat and went back to sleep.
"Er, Sir?" quizzed Marcie. "Sir!"
Marcie hit Peppermint Patty with her book, causing her to wake up.
"Marcie!" shouted Mr. Arithma.
"Sorry, Sir. Just keeping Patricia awake." Marcie said.
"I'm up! I'm up!" Peppermint Patty exclaimed. "The answer is 2000!"
"Lessons haven't started, Sir." Explained Marcie.
"I know just what to do." Peppermint Patty said drowsily. "I have to keep awake as long as….."
But Peppermint Patty was so tired, she rapidly went back to sleep.
"Er… Sir?" Marcie called.
Marcie clicked her fingers, trying to wake Peppermint Patty back up.
"Sir! Get up, Sir!"
"A few more minutes, Daddy." Peppermint Patty said, entering dreamland.
"It's time to learn arithmetic, Sir." Marcie said.
Marcie thought and thought.
"Er, Mr. Arithma?" she said finally. "May I go to the bathroom?"
"Alright, Marcie." Said Mr. Arithma. "But be quick."
When Marcie did come back, in her hands was a bucket filled with cold water.
"Hope this works."
And Marcie poured the bucket onto Peppermint Patty, waking her straight up.
"I'm up! We're in Antarctica!" Peppermint Patty exclaimed. "Er… wait a minute! No we're not!"
"Class is still on, Sir." Explained Marcie.
"Peppermint Patty." Said Mr. Arithma. "How many times does 400 go into 2000?"
"The answer…" Peppermint Patty stammered. "The answer is 8!"
"No." said Mr. Arithma. "That is wrong!"
"The answer is actually…. 5!" Peppermint Patty said again.
"Yes! That is correct!" Mr. Arithma said.
"Ah, that felt good." Peppermint Patty said.
But as she was about to fall asleep again, she remembered Marcie throwing water on her.
"No, Patty." She said to herself. "You can't fall asleep again."
Peppermint Patty knew just what to do. If Marcie was to throw freezing cold water onto her again, she would stay awake.
When Math class was over, Peppermint Patty and Marcie left along with everyone else.
"Er, Peppermint Patty? Staying awake?!" Charlie Brown said to himself.
"Er…. Just worried about getting splashed again, Chuck." Said Peppermint Patty.
"At times like this, I wish there was a class where you learn how to sleep." Tommy said slyly.
"Since I have drama class next," said Peppermint Patty. "This gives me an idea."
"Get that idea out of your mind, Sir." Said Marcie. "You're not sleeping again."
"Rats!" groaned Peppermint Patty.
After the first recess break, Peppermint Patty went to drama class which she had with the other Patty, Pig-Pen, Pierre, Violette and Roy.
"Well, I don't share all my classes with Marcie." Smirked Peppermint Patty.
After Miss Kelp called the roll, Peppermint Patty decided to go to sleep.
But what Peppermint Patty hadn't noticed was that the other Patty and Pig-Pen were performing their own drama. The dust from Pig-Pen caused Peppermint Patty to wake up from her brief slumber.
"I'm up! I'm up!" Peppermint Patty exclaimed.
"Come on, Patricia!" said Pierre. "Zis is non time to doze off. We have drama to perform."
"Alright then." Said Peppermint Patty, with her biggest weakness apart from being a sleepyhead being Pierre.
"Alright, Pete, you sly dog." Said Peppermint Patty. "What drama shall we perform?"
"Well," said Pierre.
"Maybe acting out a fire." Suggested Violette, remembering the time she accidentally set the chateau on fire.
"Not a bad idea." Decided Peppermint Patty.
"Well, I'll be the hero, you be the damsel." Pierre said.
"Anything for a sly dog like you, Pete." Peppermint Patty said.
But as Peppermint Patty stood on top of the stage, she was ready.
"Save me! Save me from the chateau!" Peppermint Patty cried.
But as Pierre came to her rescue, Peppermint Patty fell asleep, right on the stage.
"Er, Patricia?" Pierre called. "Patricia! Wake up!"
But Peppermint Patty didn't respond. The other Patty saw through this, and got an idea.
"I know!" Patty Swanson suggested. "Pig-Pen?"
Pig-Pen ran up to Peppermint Patty and surrounded her in dust. Peppermint Patty, feeling the dust, got up and coughed.
"AAUGH! THERE REALLY IS A FIRE!" Peppermint Patty exclaimed. "SOUND THE ALARM!"
"No, Patricia!" laughed Pierre. "It's just Pig-Pen!"
"Oh." Peppermint Patty sighed. "That's a relief."
After drama, Peppermint Patty was on another break. She decided to use that break to take another sleep.
"Ah, peace and quiet at last." She said as she hopped onto the bench drifted off to sleep.
But as Peppermint Patty went back to sleep, who should share her bench but Emerald, who had gotten a bag of a quarter dozen jelly doughnuts. Emerald's weight forced Peppermint Patty to wake up.
"AAUGH! I'm up! I'm up!" Peppermint Patty exclaimed.
"This is my seat, Thickmint Fatty!" Emerald said as she started scoffing the doughnuts.
"Fatty?!" Thought Peppermint Patty. "Says the one who's put on the excess pounds."
"This is my bench, so why don't you rack off and find somewhere else to sleep?" Demanded Emerald.
"Aaugh! The nerve of that blockhead!" Peppermint Patty groaned.
"What did you say?!" Emerald shouted.
"Er…. Nothing." Peppermint Patty stammered.
Later, after the next break, Peppermint Patty had social studies with Marcie, Pig-Pen, Janice, Roy and Lindsey.
"Oh, good grief!" thought Peppermint Patty. "I know Marcie will throw cold water on me!"
"Managed to stay awake during drama, Sir?" asked Marcie.
"I did, thanks to Pig-Pen." Said Peppermint Patty. "If he wasn't so dusty….."
"Looks like I won't be needing to throw water all over you then, Sir." Said Marcie.
"Right. I've gotta pay attention now." Peppermint Patty said. "Learn about our society."
"We're learning Geography, Sir." Said Marcie.
"Oh yes. Er….."
"Okay, is everyone ready?" asked Mrs. Elliot. "Today, we'll be learning about capital cities of the world."
Suddenly, Peppermint Patty started dozing off again.
"Patricia? Are you asleep?" Mrs. Elliot called. "What is the capital city of Australia?"
Peppermint Patty landed on her nose, causing her to wake up.
"I'm up! I'm up!" Peppermint Patty cried. "The answer is Los Angeles!"
"No." said Mrs. Elliot. "That is wrong."
"The answer is Wellington." Peppermint Patty answered.
"Canberra." Said Marcie.
"Canberra is right." Mrs. Elliot said.
"Really, Marcie?" Peppermint Patty said angrily.
"Los Angeles and Wellington aren't even in Australia, Sir." Said Marcie. "The former is in California, though it isn't the capital, and Wellington is in New Zealand. I had to say Canberra. Don't you remember when we went to Australia, Sir?"
"Oh. Right…." Peppermint Patty sighed.
As Mrs. Elliot started the next question, Peppermint Patty once again began to feel drowsy.
"Attention, Class! What is the most populous city in the world?"
"er…." Peppermint Patty stammered, just before she let out a big yawn. "It's…"
"Er, Sir? Are you alright?" asked Marcie.
"It's Los Angeles." Peppermint Patty said before dozing off once again.
"No. That is wrong." Mrs. Elliot said.
"Then….. it's Paris!" Peppermint Patty called.
"Tokyo." Janice answered, remembering the time she and the rest of the gang went to Japan.
"Tokyo is right, Ms. Emmons." Said Mrs. Elliot.
"Rats!" Peppermint Patty groaned as she tried to keep awake.
After that, it was lunch time. Peppermint Patty was too sleepy to feel hungry, so she found a table where Marcie, Roy and Pierre were sitting, and drifted off to sleep.
"Does Patty always sleep like this?" asked Roy.
"She's like this every school day." Said Marcie. "Well, except for school vacation."
"That must be why she dozed off during your trip to France." Said Pierre.
"She dozes off because her father does night shifts." Marcie explained.
"Night shifts?" Pierre pondered.
Marcie thought and thought.
"Sir? Sir!" Marcie whispered loudly. "Sir!"
Marcie pushed Peppermint Patty flat on her nose, causing her to wake straight up.
"I'm up!" Peppermint Patty cried.
"I think I have the ideal solution, Sir." Said Marcie.
And Marcie whispered to Peppermint Patty her idea to give Peppermint Patty the sleep she well deserved.
"Well, since I've got Japanese language class next," Peppermint Patty said. "I'll have a think about it."
So Peppermint Patty went to her Japanese class with Violette, the other Patty, Heather, Pig-Pen and Janice.
"Now, about what Marcie suggested?" Peppermint Patty thought as she was about to drift off to sleep when Heather walked over.
"Er, Patty?" Heather quizzed.
"Yes?" asked Patty Swanson.
"Not you. Peppermint Patty." Said Heather.
Heather turned back to Peppermint Patty.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Yes, Heather." Peppermint Patty said to the Little Red-Haired Girl. "Just…."
But Peppermint Patty was so tired, she fell right to sleep.
"Leave it to me." Patty Swanson said as she got out of her seat and tickled Peppermint Patty.
"I'm up! I'm up!" laughed Peppermint Patty.
After Japanese, it was time to go home. Peppermint Patty decided to walk with Charlie Brown and Heather.
"Say, Patty." Said Charlie Brown. "Why are you coming with us?"
"Marcie gave me the ideal solution to my sleeping problems." Said Peppermint Patty.
"What are they?" asked Charlie Brown.
"Chuck, you won't mind me borrowing Snoop for the night, would you?"
Charlie Brown thought and thought, remembering the night Peppermint Patty made him watchdog, only because Snoopy went after Genevieve, whom he almost married.
"Er, Heather. So Snoopy doesn't get too distracted," Charlie Brown said to the Little Red-Haired Girl. "you might want to lend Fifi to Peppermint Patty."
"How come, Charlie Brown?" asked Heather.
"Before your Fifi, Snoopy almost married a poodle named Genevieve." Charlie Brown said, and he told her all about Snoopy's wedding.
"Oh, that's so sad." Heather said.
"So what do ya say, Chuck?" asked Peppermint Patty.
"Borrow Fifi too." Said Heather.
"Great idea, Heather, and Chuck."
So Peppermint Patty waited between the Browns' place and the Wolds' place, while Charlie Brown went to get Snoopy, and Heather went to get Fifi.
As Charlie Brown went to the backyard, there was his little brother Wally, playing with Snoopy.
"Hey Big Bwother!" Wally called.
"Hey, Wally." Said Charlie Brown.
Charlie Brown came to Snoopy.
"Snoopy, how would you like to stay with Peppermint Patty tonight?" asked Charlie Brown. "You know, be her watchdog?"
Snoopy had a think. He remembered the time Genevieve distracted him.
"Fifi will guard the house too." Charlie Brown added.
"Yay!" Snoopy cheered.
"Great! Come on, Snoopy." Charlie Brown said.
As Charlie Brown came back to the front yard, there was Sally walking in.
"What are you doing, Big Brother?" asked Sally.
"Peppermint Patty's been sleep-deprived as usual, so I'm lending Snoopy to her." Explained Charlie Brown. "Say, Sally. Your shoes given you trouble today?"
"Nope. They fit perfectly." Said Sally.
"Good for you, Sally." Said Charlie Brown.
"Did Snoopy agree, Chuck?" asked Peppermint Patty as Sally went back into the house.
"He agreed." Said Charlie Brown.
As he said this, Heather walked out of her house with Fifi.
"Fifi agreed to this." Said Heather.
"Wonderful!" said Peppermint Patty. "Looking forward to guarding my house tonight, Snoop and Feef?"
The two dogs agreed, and they danced about.
"Great! Come on!"
And Peppermint Patty grabbed the leashes of both dogs, and walked them to her place.
As soon as they got there, Peppermint Patty parked them on her porch.
"You stay here until my pop comes home." Said Peppermint Patty.
"Oh?" Fifi quizzed.
"You're gonna be my watchdogs for the night." Said Peppermint Patty. "But no distractions. I don't want Chuck as my watchdog again."
So Peppermint Patty went inside, kicked off her sandals, and after changing into her night gown, she went into bed for a long, long sleep.
But what Peppermint Patty didn't notice was that Snoopy and Fifi were just sitting there doing nothing.
"Hmm…." Snoopy pondered. "Ah ha!"
Snoopy got an idea, and whistled, causing a large number of Woodstocks to fly to him.
"Huh?" Fifi quizzed.
Snoopy explained why he brought these Woodstocks over to Peppermint Patty's house.
"Ah!" Fifi said happily.
So Woodstock, Snoopy's main bird buddy, got out some cards, giving everyone the idea to play poker.
But no matter what Snoopy, Fifi, Woodstock, or any of the other birds did, Peppermint Patty slept through the whole thing. But when Robert Reichardt, Peppermint Patty's father, got home, the dogs and birds knew it was time for them to get home.
The next morning, Peppermint Patty stood at the bus stop, all energised and ready for school.
"Ah, what a wonderful sleep that was!" smiled Peppermint Patty. "No disturbances. It was all peaceful."
When the bus arrived, Peppermint Patty hopped on, and there was Marcie, already on.
"So how well did you sleep last night, Sir?" asked Marcie.
"It was a fantastic sleep, Marcie." Said Peppermint Patty. "Thanks for the suggestion to ask Chuck and Heather to lend their dogs to me last night."
"Anytime, Sir." Said Marcie. "At least you no longer think Snoopy's a funny looking kid with a big nose."
"Nope. I now know he's a beagle, though he's not a normal one like Chuck would rather have." Peppermint Patty said.
When everyone reached Sparkyville Middle School, they got to their homerooms.
"Wow! Peppermint Patty's very energised." Said Linus.
"Charlie Brown and I loaned Snoopy and Fifi to her last night." Heather explained.
"Thanks, Heather. Thanks, Chuck." Said Peppermint Patty. "I owe you two one."
"Anytime, Patty." Said Heather. "And it's safe to say Fifi made it home safe and sound."
"Same with Snoopy." Added Charlie Brown.
"I can't wait for the first lesson of the day." Said Peppermint Patty eagerly. "Now let's see….. my first lesson of the day is….. Cooking."
"Same with us, Patty." Said Charlie Brown.
"Well, looks like I'm having the first lesson of the day with Good Old Chuck." Peppermint Patty smiled.
"Same with me, Sir." Marcie said.
"Come on, guys." Said Tommy. "Our cooking class awaits!"
As Charlie Brown, Pig-Pen, Heather, Tommy, Frieda, Marcie, Violet, Scarlet, Emerald, and the Pattys made it to cooking, they were waiting for their teacher, an Australian man, Allen Barber.
"Your attention please." Said Mr. Barber as he came in.
"I'm listening." Said Peppermint Patty. "I'm all ears."
"Yes, thank you." said Mr. Barber. "Today, I've added flour, yeast, salt, water, olive oil, tomato paste, mozzarella cheese, and various toppings. We'll be making pizza today."
"Wow! I love pizza." Said Peppermint Patty.
"But first, the roll." Mr. Barber said.
After Mr. Barber called the roll, he assigned everyone their partner.
"Violet Gray."
"Not Pig-Pen! Not Pig-Pen!" Violet prayed.
"I will." Said an Asian girl.
"Percy Pen!"
"I will!" called Patty Swanson. "After all, a little dirt never hurt anyone."
"Marcie Johnson!"
"I will!" said Peppermint Patty. "I'll do anything to make pizza!"
"Charlie Brown!"
"I will." Said Heather, which caused Charlie Brown to blush.
"Emerald Green!"
"I will." Scarlet sighed, worried about the trouble Emerald might cause.
"Tommy Halverson!"
"I will." Said Frieda. "I'll do anything to team up with my sweeteridoo."
Tommy just blushed at this.
Tommy was at his station with Frieda, looking for what to top their pizza with.
"Mushrooms…. Olives…. Capsicum….. Ham….. Ah, pineapple my favourite!" Tommy exclaimed.
"You like pineapple pizza?!" Frieda exclaimed.
"Yes. Back in Australia, most of our pizza outlets market it as Hawaiian pizza, or Tropicana." Tommy explained.
"Well, let's add pineapple after we make the dough." Said Frieda.
"Leave the dough making to me, Marcie." Said Peppermint Patty. "You deal with the toppings after."
"Right behind you, Sir." Said Marcie.
"I know just the topping." Said Peppermint Patty. "Mustn't copy off of anyone else."
Later, Mr. Barber made the announcement.
"Alright, class!" he called. "Time to put the pizzas in the oven. At lunch time, they should be ready!"
After that, it was time for a break. Peppermint Patty went back to the homeroom to find her next class.
"Let's see…" Peppermint Patty said. "Science."
When Peppermint Patty went to her science class.
"Oh, lookie here! Peppermint Sleepyhead!" laughed a boy.
"Ah, let him laugh." Peppermint Patty said to herself. "At least I'll be awake today!"
After science, Peppermint Patty had…..
"Gym! My favourite class!"
When it was time for gym, Peppermint Patty went up and changed into her pink leotard, pink legwarmers, pink sweatband and blue sneakers.
"Look out, gym class! Here I come!" Peppermint Patty said with determination.
All the other girls had changed into their leotards, boys into T-shirts and shorts.
"Come on, everyone!" Peppermint Patty called.
Peppermint Patty noticed someone else.
"Emerald?"
There was Emerald, sitting on her chair.
"Come on, Emerald!" called Peppermint Patty. "We've got gym to do!"
"Oh, good grief!" groaned Emerald. "It hurts to get up!"
"Oh, come on! Exercise is good for you!" Peppermint Patty demanded.
"I knew girls weren't meant to work out!" Thibault scoffed.
"Zip it, Thibault!" demanded Shermy. "Patty's dealing with this girl herself!"
Later, it was lunch time, and Peppermint Patty was ready to have the pizza she and Marcie had made.
"Let's see the topping Marcie put on our pizza." Peppermint Patty said.
Marcie came out with their pizza, and on top was…..
"Pepperoni! My favourite!" said Peppermint Patty.
"Bon appetit, Sir." Said Marcie.
While everyone ate their pizzas, Peppermint Patty told Marcie about what she had been thinking all day.
"Marcie." Said Peppermint Patty. "I've been thinking."
"Yes, Sir?" said Marcie.
"To save Snoop and Feef anymore hassle," Peppermint Patty began. "how would you like me to stay over at your place whenever my dad does night shifts?"
"I'd like that quite nicely, Sir." Said Marcie.
"Oh, thank you!" said Peppermint Patty.
"Hey! What are friends for?" asked Marcie happily.
Later, as Peppermint Patty got home, she was just about to get a sleeping bag to stay over at Marcie's place when, much to her surprise, was….
"Daddy?"
"Oh. Hello, Patty." Said Robert Reichardt. "How was school?"
"Great, Dad!" said Peppermint Patty. "Surprising to see you're not at work."
"It's my day off." Said Mr. Reichardt. "Where are you going with that sleeping bag?"
"I was going to go to Marcie's," Peppermint Patty said. "How does that sound? I stay with Marcie whenever you work night shifts."
"That's a good idea." Said Mr. Reichardt.
"Oh, thank you, Dad!" Peppermint Patty said as she hugged her father.
"Anything for my rare gem." Said Mr. Reichardt.
"Since you're home tonight," Peppermint Patty said. "I guess I can sleep at home."
While Peppermint Patty did sleep at home that night, she decided to stay with Marcie the following night.
The following evening, Peppermint Patty was over at Marcie's place.
"Dad agreed to the idea of me staying with you whenever he works night shifts." Said Peppermint Patty.
"Anything for you, Sir." Said Marcie.
"From now on, I will no longer be sleepless in middle school." Peppermint Patty said. "Because I'll be energised, not needing anymore sleep."
"Good night, Sir." Said Marcie as she also drifted off to sleep, no longer feeling the need to wake Peppermint Patty up at school.
The next day, Peppermint Patty and Marcie stood at the bus stop, waiting for the bus to take them to Sparkyville Middle School.
"Did you sleep well, Sir?" Asked Marcie.
"I sure did, Marcie." Said Peppermint Patty. "Oh, how I wish my mother was still at home."
"You miss your mother, don't you, Sir?" Asked Marcie.
"I never knew her." Said Peppermint Patty sadly. "Dad tells me they divorced a long time ago and gained custody to me. If only my dad would remarry….. my biological mother or marry someone….."
"That day might come one day, Sir." Said Marcie. "At least you can sleep at my place until then….. if that ever happens."
"Great idea." Said Peppermint Patty.