APeanutsstoryline from February 1980 features Peppermint Patty asking her buddy Charlie Brown for his help in getting her a date for the Valentine’s Day dance. Who Charlie Brown chooses as her date for the special occasion is definitely not what Peppermint Patty - or readers - were expecting.
Peppermint Patty ends up in a situation that she could not have seen coming, creating a sidesplitting and heartwarming storyline. Peppermint Patty gets the spotlight in this series of strips that spanned ten entries during the second month of 1980, giving readers an interesting insight into a different part of the fan-favorite character’s personality. Peppermint Patty may act like a tough cookie, but she really is just a big softie romantic at heart, as this storyline shows.
10"I Love Disco!"
February 11th, 1980
A very of-its-time comic strip, Peppermint Patty’s school is having a disco dance for their Valentine’s Day shindig. Due to the special occasion, Peppermint Patty tasks her good friend Charlie Brown with setting her up on a date, but there are some restrictions: Charlie Brown can’t dance, so it cannot be him, and itcannot be Snoopyeither.
Putting the kibosh on Snoopy as her date is a bummer for the beagle, because he actually loves disco and would have enjoyed doing the Hustle dance with her. To say that Snoopy loves disco is a minimization of what a big fan of disco dancing Snoopy is, because he even has an alter ego who is the World Famous Disco Dancer. Given Snoopy’s disco expertise, one is left to wonder what Peppermint Patty has against having Snoopy as her dance partner.
9"How Much Fun You Are"
February 12th, 1980
Telling Marcie about her decision tohave Charlie Brown, or Chuck as she likes to call him, get her a date for the dance, Marcie knows that Charlie Brown will set her up with someone really nice and will let the person know what a fun girl Peppermint Patty is. Marcie’s declaration of Peppermint Patty’s fun personality prompts Peppermint Patty to explain that she has to be fun because she has a big nose.
As brash as Peppermint Patty can be sometimes, she is actually very sensitive about her appearance. There are actually quite a few comic strips that show Peppermint Patty beating herself up because of her looks. While she may be hard on herself about her insecurities, she can at least agree that she has a fun personality, which is a step in the right direction towards some self-confidence.
8"My Name Is Pig-Pen"
February 13th, 1980
Eagerly awaiting meeting her blind date on her front steps, Peppermint Patty wonders who it could be and hopes he is a “good dancer” and a “real sharp dresser.” To her, and the reader’s surprise, the date Charlie Brown set up for her is none other than good old dirty Pig-Pen. Unsurprisingly, Peppermint Patty is not thrilled at her Charlie Brown-chosen date. Pig-Pen does not exactly make his schoolmates' hearts skip a beat, so Peppermint Patty’s disappointed reaction is pretty par for the course.
Ofall thePeanutskidsCharlie Brown could have set her up with, the fact that Pig-Pen comes walking up to her door makes her beyond exasperated, as seen in her yell of frustration at the sight of him. Her look of excitement and anticipation quickly sours, which is all but guaranteed for the majority of the characters inPeanutsif they were confronted with Pig-Pen as their date.
7"This Is Some Weird Date"
February 14th, 1980
Dancing with Pig-Pen at the dance, Peppermint Parrt finds that her date is actually a pretty good dancer despite dreading him as her partner in the strip prior. Let this strip be a lesson that if someone is a good dancer, it can curry a lot of favor. Regardless, trying to use some classic lines on Pig-Pen, Peppermint Patty finds a second later that all that is left of him is his dirt cloud, and she is confused about where he went.
It would not be the first time that all that can be seen ofPig-Pen is his dirt cloud, but it is definitely inopportune for it to happen when he is dancing with someone. Yet, as much as Peppermint Patty was upset at Pig-pen being her date to the Valentine’s Day dance, she is really enjoying herself with him, even if she thinks it is a weird date.
6"That Was the Best Valentine’s Day Ever!"
February 15th, 1980
Thrilled with the fun she has had with Pig-Pen at the Valentine’s Day dance, Peppermint Parrt gushes to Pig-Pen about how it is the best Valentine’s Day she has ever had and that no dance has been as fun as this one with him. Pig-Pen is obviously pretty touched by Peppermint Patty’s kind words - to the point that he gives her a kiss on the cheek. Taking Peppermint Patty by surprise at first, Pig Pen’s kiss then makes the girl absolutely smitten.
This comic strip marks Pig-Pen’s 100th appearance.
Move over Charlie Brown, Pig-Pen is Peppermint Patty’s new crush. She slowly came around to enjoying his company and liking him thanks to his good dancing, with her now looking like she is head-over-heels for the kid, despite his peers typically finding him a little off-putting due to his dirtiness. Peppermint Patty can look past that trait now that she loves him.
5"I’m in Love!"
February 16th, 1980
Typically, no one wants a phone call in the middle of the night. However, Marcie receives one at three in the morning, to her annoyance. It turns out to be Peppermint Patty, who is wide awake and just cannot fall asleep, and it is for a very special reason: she’s in love!Marcie is too tired to give too much of an enthusiastic response, but she at least voices some sort of supportive response as she falls back to sleep again.
Best friends are the first ones to turn to for the big things in one’s life, good or bad, with Marcie being the first one to know that Peppermint Patty has fallen in love with Pig-Pen. Despite being three in the morning, Peppermint Patty would not call anyone else to deliver this news, with Marcie also being the one to know about any of Peppermint Patty’s crushes, especially her crush on Charlie Brown.
4"An Environmental Impact Report!"
February 18th, 1980
After the dance has passed, Charlie Brown and Pig-Pen talk about him and Peppermint Patty’s time on Valentine’s Day. Pig Pen also had fun like Peppermitn Patty did, but his mind is a bit blown by the fact that she never criticized his appearance, not even once, which is a first for the hygienically inept kid. He knows he is not very neat, which is a massive understatement, but as hard as he tries, he cannot seem to change.
This comic strip marks the first time that Pig-Pen and Charlie Brown have had direct contact in a comic strip since August 21st, 1965.
Snoopy, being the witty (and snarky) pup he is, chimes in that Pig-Pen can’t change without “an environmental impact report.” For those who are unaware, an environmental impact report is a report that lets people know what kind of environmental effects a proposed change could cause, making Snoopy’s retort quite the clever quip towards Pig Pen.
3"All the Best Coaches Are in the Stands"
February 19th, 1980
Trying to write a note to Pig-Pen, Peppermint Patty is stuck on what to write in it, but Marcie instead suggests that she not write him at all and let him make the first move. Impressed by her best friend’s expertise, Peppermint Patty asks how she came to be so knowledgeable about such matters. Marcie responds that “all the best coaches are in the stands,” meaning that she observes and learns from others' mistakes rather than from taking part in the experiences herself.
The analytical and brainy Marcie has the right idea, making others make mistakes for her - and for her friends, in this case, so Peppermint Patty can benefit from the advice. Marcie and Peppermint Patty may not have the most experience with romance, but that won’t stop them from knowing the dos and don’ts.
2"You Can If You’re Unreasonable!"
February 20th, 1980
Peppermint Patty gets upset when Pig-Pen has not sent anything to Peppermint Patty and has not even called her either. Angered by the lack of reaching out from Pig-Pen, Peppermint Patty decides the best thing to do is to blame Charlie Brown for setting them up together in the first place.Marcie tries to speak some sense to Peppermint Patty, trying to enforce the logic that it is not reallyCharlie Brown’s blame to take.
Peppermint Patty is not having it and instead claims that one can blame Charlie Brown if one is “unreasonable,” which she just so happens to be at that moment. Peppermint Patty has a big crush on Pig-Pen, so at the first sign of even the possibility that he may not like her back, Peppermint Patty wigs out a little bit and is ready to go on the defense - unfortunately for Charlie Brown.
1"Next Valentine’s Day!"
February 21st, 1980
Marcie decides to go out on a limb for her buddy Peppermint Patty and calls Pig-Pen, where the good news is revealed that Peppermint Patty’sfeelings for Pig-Penare reciprocated. Peppermint Patty is thrilled with his admission that he likes her back. However, the bad news is then delivered, which is that Pig-Pen would like to ask Peppermint Patty out to another dance, but not until next Valentine’s Day.
A whole year will have come and gone before Peppermint Patty gets asked out by Pig-Pen. A year is a long time for anyone, but for a kid, a year might as well be an eternity. Consequently, the bad news is really not what Peppermint Patty wants to hear, especially after her hopes were raised by the good news Marcie delivered first. At least she knows to save the date on her calendar… for next year’sPeanutsValentine’s Day.
Peanuts
Created by Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts is a multimedia franchise that began as a comic strip in the 1950s and eventually expanded to include films and a television series. Peanuts follows the daily adventures of the Peanuts gang, with Charlie Brown and his dog Snoopy at the center of them. Aside from the film released in 2015, the franchise also has several Holiday specials that air regularly on U.S. Television during their appropriate seasons.
