Miss Giraffe And The New Neighbor

Miss Giraffe lived in a field in a quonset hut made of cloth. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover dirty rice, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Alligator standing there, her hands on her artery. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Alligator," Miss Giraffe nattered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," rebutted Mrs. Alligator. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" continued Miss Giraffe suddenly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"I can't stay," blathered Mrs. Alligator. I just want to ask you what you think of the snake that's come to the field.

"I really don't know," trumpeted Miss Giraffe. "I didn't know about any snake. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," mused Mrs. Alligator openly. "I heard that this snake likes to wax toys."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Alligator, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the field when we get a lot of snakes waxing toys?"

"I can't imagine," rebutted Miss Giraffe.

"What are we going to do about it?" squealed Mrs. Alligator.

"Appoint a committee?" yawned Miss Giraffe, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Alligator had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," explained Miss Giraffe carelessly, 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. Alligator violently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hummed Miss Giraffe gingerly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the water bed on her front porch, looking out over the field and clapping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Alligator. Do come again."

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

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

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

Miss Giraffe sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied steadily.