Miss Whale And The New Neighbor

Miss Whale lived at a seashore in a chapel made of pine logs. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover oyster on the half-shell, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Dormouse standing there, her hands on her hairdo. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dormouse," Miss Whale remarked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," quavered Mrs. Dormouse. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" boomed Miss Whale stealthily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of milk?"

"I can't stay," boomed Mrs. Dormouse. I just want to ask you what you think of the horse that's come to the seashore.

"I really don't know," sobbed Miss Whale. "I didn't know about any horse. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," blurted Mrs. Dormouse courageously. "I heard that this horse likes to grab fishing poles."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dormouse, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seashore when we get a lot of horses grabbing fishing poles?"

"I can't imagine," divulged Miss Whale.

"What are we going to do about it?" debated Mrs. Dormouse.

"Appoint a committee?" cried Miss Whale, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dormouse had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Dormouse solemnly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," fantasized Miss Whale narrowly, 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 Mrs. Dormouse pityingly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," chanted Miss Whale tearfully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the computer on her front porch, looking out over the seashore and getting rigid. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dormouse. Do come again."

"Just a minute," harangued Mrs. Dormouse thankfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Whale sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied blissfully.