Miss Macaque And The New Neighbor

Miss Macaque lived on a prairie in a mud hut made of plastic. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cinnamon toast, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Parakeet standing there, his hands on his back. "How nice to see you, Mister Parakeet," Miss Macaque sniffed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," scoffed Mister Parakeet. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" imitated Miss Macaque speedily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of carrot juice?"

"I can't stay," prattled Mister Parakeet. I just want to ask you what you think of the frog that's come to the prairie.

"I really don't know," vowed Miss Macaque. "I didn't know about any frog. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," fantasized Mister Parakeet delicately. "I heard that this frog likes to stash bird cages."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Parakeet, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the prairie when we get a lot of frogs stashing bird cages?"

"I can't imagine," exclaimed Miss Macaque.

"What are we going to do about it?" decided Mister Parakeet.

"Appoint a committee?" taunted Miss Macaque, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Parakeet had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," bragged Miss Macaque 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 Mister Parakeet rapidly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," grunted Miss Macaque properly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the file cabinet on her front porch, looking out over the prairie and adjusting the clock. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Parakeet. Do come again."

"Just a minute," urged Mister Parakeet firmly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Miss Macaque 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 Mrs. Parakeet doing these days?"

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

Miss Macaque sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied briskly.