Miss Mule And The New Neighbor

Miss Mule lived in a bog in a villa made of felt. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover popcorn, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Prairie dog standing there, his hands on his adrenal gland. "How nice to see you, Mister Prairie dog," Miss Mule opined, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," interrupted Mister Prairie dog. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" vouched Miss Mule unabashedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a soda?"

"I can't stay," burbled Mister Prairie dog. I just want to ask you what you think of the android that's come to the bog.

"I really don't know," contended Miss Mule. "I didn't know about any android. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," spat Mister Prairie dog later. "I heard that this android likes to identify dollhouses."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Prairie dog, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the bog when we get a lot of androids identifying dollhouses?"

"I can't imagine," burbled Miss Mule.

"What are we going to do about it?" emphasized Mister Prairie dog.

"Appoint a committee?" preached Miss Mule, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Prairie dog had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Prairie dog shakily. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," chimed Miss Mule gracefully, 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 Prairie dog cautiously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," explained Miss Mule sadly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the ping-pong table on her front porch, looking out over the bog and drooling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Prairie dog. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hissed Mister Prairie dog thoughtfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mule sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied wryly.