Miss Ghost And The New Neighbor

Miss Ghost lived on a grassy knoll in a cottage made of axle grease. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover mashed potatoes, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Honeybee standing there, her hands on her artery. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Honeybee," Miss Ghost begged, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," purred Mrs. Honeybee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" argued Miss Ghost cautiously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of bouillon?"

"I can't stay," imitated Mrs. Honeybee. I just want to ask you what you think of the rabbit that's come to the grassy knoll.

"I really don't know," grieved Miss Ghost. "I didn't know about any rabbit. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," reasoned Mrs. Honeybee immediately. "I heard that this rabbit likes to decorate cameras."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Honeybee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the grassy knoll when we get a lot of rabbits decorating cameras?"

"I can't imagine," scoffed Miss Ghost.

"What are we going to do about it?" vowed Mrs. Honeybee.

"Appoint a committee?" guessed Miss Ghost, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Honeybee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," blathered Miss Ghost openly, 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. Honeybee woodenly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," insisted Miss Ghost peevishly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the china cabinet on her front porch, looking out over the grassy knoll and falling asleep. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Honeybee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," murmured Mrs. Honeybee miserably. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Ghost sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied blissfully.