Miss Bumblebee And The New Neighbor

Miss Bumblebee lived at an oasis in a trough made of Tyvek. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover wienerschnitzel, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Panther standing there, her hands on her face. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Panther," Miss Bumblebee concluded, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," snorted Mrs. Panther. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" declaimed Miss Bumblebee viciously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a sarsaparilla?"

"I can't stay," implored Mrs. Panther. I just want to ask you what you think of the German Shepherd that's come to the oasis.

"I really don't know," wailed Miss Bumblebee. "I didn't know about any German Shepherd. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," articulated Mrs. Panther swiftly. "I heard that this German Shepherd likes to vacuum bouquets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Panther, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the oasis when we get a lot of German Shepherds vacuuming bouquets?"

"I can't imagine," chanted Miss Bumblebee.

"What are we going to do about it?" giggled Mrs. Panther.

"Appoint a committee?" railed Miss Bumblebee, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Panther had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," clarified Miss Bumblebee impatiently, 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. Panther silently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," chuckled Miss Bumblebee pityingly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the counter on her front porch, looking out over the oasis and dying. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Panther. Do come again."

"Just a minute," decided Mrs. Panther breathlessly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Bumblebee sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied crazily.