Miss Guinea Pig And The New Neighbor

Miss Guinea pig lived in a pasture in a resort made of roots. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover potatoes and gravy, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Eel standing there, her hands on her arm. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Eel," Miss Guinea pig asked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," enunciated Mrs. Eel. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yammered Miss Guinea pig crazily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a sarsaparilla?"

"I can't stay," begged Mrs. Eel. I just want to ask you what you think of the horse that's come to the pasture.

"I really don't know," orated Miss Guinea pig. "I didn't know about any horse. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," trumpeted Mrs. Eel neatly. "I heard that this horse likes to interpret clarinets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Eel, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pasture when we get a lot of horses interpreting clarinets?"

"I can't imagine," quavered Miss Guinea pig.

"What are we going to do about it?" reminded Mrs. Eel.

"Appoint a committee?" decided Miss Guinea pig, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Eel had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," gasped Miss Guinea pig nimbly, 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. Eel fiercely. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," said Miss Guinea pig deftly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the desk on her front porch, looking out over the pasture and fretting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Eel. Do come again."

"Just a minute," demanded Mrs. Eel blindly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Guinea pig sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied vigorously.