Miss Fish And The New Neighbor

Miss Fish lived in a grassland in a barracks made of bones. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover applesauce, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Lovebird standing there, her hands on her wrist. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Lovebird," Miss Fish wailed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," invited Mrs. Lovebird. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" amended Miss Fish ferociously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Moscow mule?"

"I can't stay," demanded Mrs. Lovebird. I just want to ask you what you think of the mare that's come to the grassland.

"I really don't know," remarked Miss Fish. "I didn't know about any mare. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," quoted Mrs. Lovebird hopelessly. "I heard that this mare likes to shrink handkerchiefs."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Lovebird, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the grassland when we get a lot of mares shrinking handkerchiefs?"

"I can't imagine," blathered Miss Fish.

"What are we going to do about it?" lamented Mrs. Lovebird.

"Appoint a committee?" vowed Miss Fish, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Lovebird had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," concluded Miss Fish gingerly, 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. Lovebird wildly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," groaned Miss Fish coolly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the coat rack on her front porch, looking out over the grassland and getting sleepy. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Lovebird. Do come again."

"Just a minute," informed Mrs. Lovebird ingeniously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Fish sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied effortlessly.