Miss Buffalo And The New Neighbor

Miss Buffalo lived alongside a stream in a hut made of limestone. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover banana split, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Mule standing there, his hands on his eye. "How nice to see you, Mister Mule," Miss Buffalo articulated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," requested Mister Mule. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" purred Miss Buffalo fearlessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a shot of bourbon?"

"I can't stay," worried Mister Mule. I just want to ask you what you think of the skunk that's come to the stream.

"I really don't know," demanded Miss Buffalo. "I didn't know about any skunk. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," screamed Mister Mule nimbly. "I heard that this skunk likes to enshrine church keys."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Mule, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the stream when we get a lot of skunks enshrining church keys?"

"I can't imagine," observed Miss Buffalo.

"What are we going to do about it?" burbled Mister Mule.

"Appoint a committee?" concluded Miss Buffalo, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Mule had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," nattered Miss Buffalo blindly, 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 Mule ruefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," expressed Miss Buffalo dolorously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the cupboard on her front porch, looking out over the stream and sniffing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Mule. Do come again."

"Just a minute," blurted Mister Mule vacantly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Buffalo sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied proudly.