Miss Mole And The New Neighbor

Miss Mole lived in a hayfield in a quonset hut made of spandex. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover mushroom quiche, when she heard a knock at the door.

She went to the door, wondering who would be stopping for a visit at this time of day.

She was surprised to see Mister Shark standing there, his hands on his toenail. "How nice to see you, Mister Shark," Miss Mole nattered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," mentioned Mister Shark. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" stuttered Miss Mole boldly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of iced tea?"

"I can't stay," whined Mister Shark. I just want to ask you what you think of the goldfish that's come to the hayfield.

"I really don't know," protested Miss Mole. "I didn't know about any goldfish. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," purred Mister Shark surreptitiously. "I heard that this goldfish likes to wipe darts."

"Um, I don't know what to say," comforted Miss Mole, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Shark, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hayfield when we get a lot of goldfish wiping darts?"

"I can't imagine," avowed Miss Mole.

"What are we going to do about it?" queried Mister Shark.

"Appoint a committee?" yawned Miss Mole, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Shark had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Shark jokingly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," recited Miss Mole joyously, who wanted to bring the conversation to a close quickly, without finding herself on this committee.

"I'd like for you to be on the committee," said Mister Shark gruffly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," retorted Miss Mole briskly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pool table on her front porch, looking out over the hayfield and getting upset. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Shark. Do come again."

"Just a minute," murmured Mister Shark strictly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Miss Mole thought she had answered, and was beginning to get idiotic. "Thank you so much for thinking of me. It is a lovely day, isn't it? How is Mrs. Shark doing these days?"

Mister Shark would have none of it. "So, let's meet at your house, say tomorrow at two?"

Miss Mole sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied cheerfully.