Miss Poodle And The New Neighbor

Miss Poodle lived in a desert in a Spanish colonial made of straw bales. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover strawberry shortcake, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Pig standing there, her hands on her toe. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Pig," Miss Poodle orated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," began Mrs. Pig. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" admitted Miss Poodle speedily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a fruit smoothie?"

"I can't stay," persisted Mrs. Pig. I just want to ask you what you think of the shrew that's come to the desert.

"I really don't know," brought up Miss Poodle. "I didn't know about any shrew. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," insisted Mrs. Pig wildly. "I heard that this shrew likes to balance pairs of binoculars."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Pig, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the desert when we get a lot of shrews balancing pairs of binoculars?"

"I can't imagine," harangued Miss Poodle.

"What are we going to do about it?" informed Mrs. Pig.

"Appoint a committee?" emphasized Miss Poodle, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Pig had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," growled Miss Poodle pityingly, 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. Pig oddly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," urged Miss Poodle courteously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bath mat on her front porch, looking out over the desert and watching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Pig. Do come again."

"Just a minute," purred Mrs. Pig numbly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Poodle sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied bravely.