Miss Musk-ox And The New Neighbor

Miss Musk-ox lived in a briar patch in a resort made of drywall. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover sauerkraut, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Shrew standing there, his hands on his kidney. "How nice to see you, Mister Shrew," Miss Musk-ox asked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," stuttered Mister Shrew. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" uttered Miss Musk-ox primly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a V8?"

"I can't stay," added Mister Shrew. I just want to ask you what you think of the grasshopper that's come to the briar patch.

"I really don't know," sniveled Miss Musk-ox. "I didn't know about any grasshopper. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," nattered Mister Shrew energetically. "I heard that this grasshopper likes to observe Band-aids."

"Um, I don't know what to say," roared Miss Musk-ox, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Shrew, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the briar patch when we get a lot of grasshoppers observing Band-aids?"

"I can't imagine," provoked Miss Musk-ox.

"What are we going to do about it?" worried Mister Shrew.

"Appoint a committee?" scoffed Miss Musk-ox, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Shrew had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," belched Miss Musk-ox cheerfully, 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 Shrew slyly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yelped Miss Musk-ox viciously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pillow on her front porch, looking out over the briar patch and knitting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Shrew. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hissed Mister Shrew automatically. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Miss Musk-ox thought she had answered, and was beginning to get self-confident. "Thank you so much for thinking of me. It is a lovely day, isn't it? How is Mrs. Shrew doing these days?"

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

Miss Musk-ox sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied fearlessly.