It’s Marcie Day!

Happy 55th Birthday, Marcie! We interrupt our California Route 66 tour for a special announcement. July 20th is Peanuts’ Marcie Day, and I’m celebrating with my namesake. Over 70 distinct characters were introduced in the Peanuts comic strip during its 50-year run. My favorite, of course, was Marcie. She’s a studious character, known for her appreciation of the arts, nature, and truth, and a best friend to Peppermint Patty. Marcie was first introduced on July 20, 1971, so at age 55 this year, she’s a bit younger than I am. Heck, I’m old enough to be her Mom! “Marcie is one-up on Peppermint Patty in every way. She sees the truth of things, where it invariably escapes Patty. I like Marcie.” — Charles Schulz I read recently that Schulz’s Marcie character was modeled after Elise Gallaway, the roommate of Patty Swanson, Schulz’s cousin and the inspiration for his Peppermint Patty character. On the Peanuts website, I got a rundown on Marcie and her ‘evolution’ through the years, and I was…