Peppermint Patty

"I've got a plan."

Peppermint Patty isn't the cutest girl in fourth grade. Not even close. She is, however, a force to be reckoned with. A "rough and tumble" kind of gal. The schoolyard is her domain and she rules it like a champion. The air is brisk and the leaves are colorful on this bright Autumn day. Charlie Brown and Marcy are her best friends, but there is one girl that stops Peppermint Patty cold. Her name is Lucy. Peppermint Patty wants nothing less than putting Lucy in her place. Can she do it?

Charlie Brown is a blockhead. He is nice and all that, but he is wishy-washy. He never really wins at anything and he is easy to punch. A wishy-washy wimp is what Peppermint Patty loves the best. She can punch Charlie Brown and he will fall to the ground. He makes her laugh out loud.

Marcy is a follower. She doesn't really have any opinions of her own and just about goes along with anything Peppermint Patty asks her to do. She is a pushover just like Charlie Brown. Today is the perfect day to prove just that.

"I've got a plan."

Charlie Brown and Marcy look over at Peppermint Patty with keen interest.

"What kind of plan?

"My plan is for once in your life, Charlie Brown, don't fall for Lucy's football scam. She will promise you that this year she will just hold the football but she will pull the football away each and every single time! You will not kick the football but fly up in the air, making a fool of yourself again."

"Oh that plan. No thanks. I am not in any mood to get humiliated again."

"I said, I have a plan."

'What is your plan? And don't give me that look, Peppermint Patty. Just tell us."

Peppermint Patty smiles. "Just you wait and see. Call Lucy over here. I have a football. Tell her you want her to hold the football and that this year you finally will kick that ball! Let's see her rush over here in pure glee!"

"Here is the plan. You need to watch me, Charlie Brown. I want you to sprint about a yard, stop suddenly. Watch me. I will give you a secret signal. You will see it but Lucy won't. I will knock Lucy down and take over. I won't pull the ball away. You will kick the ball. Trust me. I promise."

"Yeah! Let's do this!", Charlie Brown and Marcie shout!

"Oh Lucy!", Charlie Brown calls over to her.

"What do you want, Blockhead?"

"Peppermint Patty lent me her brand new football. Do you want to hold it for me, while I attempt to kick the ball?"

"Oh, would I! ", Lucy responds and rushes over to Charlie Brown.

"Can we watch?", Marcie and Peppermint Patty ask.

Lucy laughs, "Oh, this will be good! Just watch a pro at work."

Lucy grabs the football and scooches down to hold the football in place.

"Ready, Charlie Brown. Give it a great big kick to victory!"

Lucy snickers under her breath.

"Ready, set, go!"

Charlie Brown sprints toward the football Lucy is holding. She is looking down at the football. She never sees it coming. Peppermint Patty approaches Lucy. She gives Charlie Brown the signal. He stops suddenly. Peppermint Patty knocks Lucy over and grabs the football. Marcy then holds Lucy down. It isn't easy because Lucy is trying to slap Marcy's face. Marcy slaps her right back. "Stay down loser. This is our game now!", Marcy snaps back at Lucy.

Peppermint Patty gives Charlie Brown the signal again. He resumes his sprint and pulls back his left leg ready to kick the football.

Charlie Brown is so happy for the first time in months. "I am really going to kick the ball. I am really going to win at something! Wow! This is great! This is...."

Charlie Brown attempts to kick the ball and almost reaches it when Peppermint Patty pulls the football away suddenly.

"Awwww!! What the heck??"

Charlie Brown goes flying and lands on his back. He is covered with dust and grass.

Peppermint Patty and Marcie are cheering. "Is this your plan? Wow, it was great! You really scammed Charlie Brown. Now, who can he trust?"

"I can't believe this! You scammed even me. I have been pulling this scam on Charlie Brown for years, but your scam is better than mine! You're my hero, Peppermint Patty!", Lucy declares loudly.

Peppermint Patty is a rat. Marcy is a rat and Lucy is a rat.

Charlie Brown is humiliated. He will never trust a woman again.

"Some plan! It sucks to be me, I guess. But I will try again next year, you'll see. I've got a plan!"

Charlie Brown, the eternal optimist.

Linus was hiding in the bushes and he shouts out to Peppermint Patty. "How about a new challenge?"

Peppermint Patty never passes up a challenge. Lucy, Marcy and Peppermint Patty are curious.

"I will hold the ball and you kick it this time, Peppermint Patty. You see I have a plan too."

Linus walks over to Charlie Brown and whispers. "We will make them eat dirt. Don't worry."

Charlie Brown smiles. "Finally sweet revenge on those brats."

"Come over here, Peppermint Patty. Linus makes a line with his foot. Wait for me to call you out. Then the fun begins!"

Linus has a special "football" his Dad bought at the gag store. It has glue on the sides. A very strong glue. Only he cannot let on that this is a gag. He has to avenge his friend Charlie Brown. He has been humiliated once to many times by cruel Lucy and now arrogant Peppermint Patty.

Linus puts his finger at the top of the "football". "Okay, ready, set, go!"

Peppermint Patty starts sprinting toward the football. She is coming in fast. She pulls back her right foot and attempts to kick the football.But...

Instead of kicking the ball, the ball sticks to her shoe and she flies up in the air and her legs leans toward her mouth and the football becomes glued to her lips.

For once and for all, Peppermint Patty is speechless.

" Peppermint Patty! Oh what a plan! You finally stopped talking! That goes for Marcy and Lucy too! Linus is my friend now and you can go play football somewhere else. That is my plan! "

"Thank you Linus! You did it! You finally beat those arrogant brats at their own game!"