Miss Gerbil And The New Neighbor

Miss Gerbil lived in an arroyo in a monastery made of kelp. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cornbread, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Lizard standing there, his hands on his lip. "How nice to see you, Mister Lizard," Miss Gerbil pointed out, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," implored Mister Lizard. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" declaimed Miss Gerbil zestily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cosmopolitan?"

"I can't stay," chanted Mister Lizard. I just want to ask you what you think of the lion that's come to the arroyo.

"I really don't know," laughed Miss Gerbil. "I didn't know about any lion. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," judged Mister Lizard wearily. "I heard that this lion likes to scrub biscuits."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Lizard, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the arroyo when we get a lot of lions scrubbing biscuits?"

"I can't imagine," admitted Miss Gerbil.

"What are we going to do about it?" gabbed Mister Lizard.

"Appoint a committee?" chortled Miss Gerbil, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Lizard had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," requested Miss Gerbil grandly, 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 Lizard ferociously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," disputed Miss Gerbil unnaturally, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the cushion on her front porch, looking out over the arroyo and screeching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Lizard. Do come again."

"Just a minute," grunted Mister Lizard peevishly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Gerbil sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied hungrily.