Miss Rabbit And The New Neighbor

Miss Rabbit lived in a gulch in a hovel made of wattle and daub. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover potatoes and gravy, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Grasshopper standing there, his hands on his piehole. "How nice to see you, Mister Grasshopper," Miss Rabbit agreed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," admitted Mister Grasshopper. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" vowed Miss Rabbit numbly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of orange juice?"

"I can't stay," chimed Mister Grasshopper. I just want to ask you what you think of the gazelle that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," maintained Miss Rabbit. "I didn't know about any gazelle. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," instructed Mister Grasshopper violently. "I heard that this gazelle likes to tickle pearls."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Grasshopper, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of gazelles tickling pearls?"

"I can't imagine," fantasized Miss Rabbit.

"What are we going to do about it?" bawled Mister Grasshopper.

"Appoint a committee?" lectured Miss Rabbit, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Grasshopper had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," guessed Miss Rabbit sweetly, 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 Grasshopper deliberately. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," phrased Miss Rabbit gruffly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the credenza on her front porch, looking out over the gulch and wandering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Grasshopper. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sniveled Mister Grasshopper pityingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Rabbit sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied suddenly.