Miss Duck And The New Neighbor

Miss Duck lived in a forest in a penthouse made of felt. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fish and chips, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Lamb standing there, her hands on her eyelash. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Lamb," Miss Duck spouted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," drawled Mrs. Lamb. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" screeched Miss Duck ingeniously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a gin and tonic?"

"I can't stay," contended Mrs. Lamb. I just want to ask you what you think of the eagle that's come to the forest.

"I really don't know," nattered Miss Duck. "I didn't know about any eagle. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," reacted Mrs. Lamb sharply. "I heard that this eagle likes to expose bottles of painkillers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Lamb, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the forest when we get a lot of eagles exposing bottles of painkillers?"

"I can't imagine," amended Miss Duck.

"What are we going to do about it?" mouthed Mrs. Lamb.

"Appoint a committee?" affirmed Miss Duck, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Lamb had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," added Miss Duck nervously, 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. Lamb thankfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," sobbed Miss Duck fearfully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pedestal on her front porch, looking out over the forest and fidgeting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Lamb. Do come again."

"Just a minute," rumored Mrs. Lamb stealthily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Duck sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied unexpectedly.