Miss Prairie Dog And The New Neighbor

Miss Prairie dog lived on a mountainside in a yurt made of toothpicks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Froot Loops, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Grizzly bear standing there, her hands on her toenail. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Grizzly bear," Miss Prairie dog suggested, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," rumored Mrs. Grizzly bear. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" asserted Miss Prairie dog boisterously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Scotch and soda?"

"I can't stay," peeped Mrs. Grizzly bear. I just want to ask you what you think of the cockatiel that's come to the mountainside.

"I really don't know," reasoned Miss Prairie dog. "I didn't know about any cockatiel. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," moaned Mrs. Grizzly bear frantically. "I heard that this cockatiel likes to moisten books."

"Um, I don't know what to say," murmured Miss Prairie dog, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Grizzly bear, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountainside when we get a lot of cockatiels moistening books?"

"I can't imagine," lectured Miss Prairie dog.

"What are we going to do about it?" reasoned Mrs. Grizzly bear.

"Appoint a committee?" hummed Miss Prairie dog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Grizzly bear had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Grizzly bear sharply. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," recited Miss Prairie dog wearily, 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. Grizzly bear rapidly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," chimed Miss Prairie dog daintily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the table on her front porch, looking out over the mountainside and purring. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Grizzly bear. Do come again."

"Just a minute," quavered Mrs. Grizzly bear madly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Prairie dog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied gruffly.