Miss Elk And The New Neighbor

Miss Elk lived in a rainforest in a cardboard box made of papier-mâché. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover macaroni, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Rattlesnake standing there, her hands on her kneecap. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Rattlesnake," Miss Elk rebutted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," conversed Mrs. Rattlesnake. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sniped Miss Elk sharply, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of milk?"

"I can't stay," chuckled Mrs. Rattlesnake. I just want to ask you what you think of the bumblebee that's come to the rainforest.

"I really don't know," yawned Miss Elk. "I didn't know about any bumblebee. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," added Mrs. Rattlesnake surreptitiously. "I heard that this bumblebee likes to pound rocks."

"Um, I don't know what to say," piped up Miss Elk, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Rattlesnake, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the rainforest when we get a lot of bumblebees pounding rocks?"

"I can't imagine," whimpered Miss Elk.

"What are we going to do about it?" implored Mrs. Rattlesnake.

"Appoint a committee?" maintained Miss Elk, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Rattlesnake had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," instructed Miss Elk happily, 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. Rattlesnake miserably. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," grunted Miss Elk admiringly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the toilet on her front porch, looking out over the rainforest and swaying. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Rattlesnake. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sniffed Mrs. Rattlesnake dolefully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Elk sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied brashly.