Miss Beaver And The New Neighbor

Miss Beaver lived in a cesspool in a tent made of twigs. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ham, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" agreed Miss Beaver delicately, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Seven and Seven?"

"I can't stay," chattered Mister Rabbit. I just want to ask you what you think of the pheasant that's come to the cesspool.

"I really don't know," concluded Miss Beaver. "I didn't know about any pheasant. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," warbled Mister Rabbit urgently. "I heard that this pheasant likes to dust handkerchiefs."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Rabbit, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cesspool when we get a lot of pheasants dusting handkerchiefs?"

"I can't imagine," worried Miss Beaver.

"What are we going to do about it?" acknowledged Mister Rabbit.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," invited Miss Beaver lazily, 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 Rabbit pitifully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," begged Miss Beaver quickly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the ping-pong table on her front porch, looking out over the cesspool and flushing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Rabbit. Do come again."

"Just a minute," thought Mister Rabbit mysteriously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Miss Beaver 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. Rabbit doing these days?"

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

Miss Beaver sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied woodenly.