Miss Gazelle And The New Neighbor

Miss Gazelle lived alongside a stream in a hovel made of toothpicks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover macaroni, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Garter snake standing there, his hands on his shoulder. "How nice to see you, Mister Garter snake," Miss Gazelle continued, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," sniped Mister Garter snake. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," insisted Mister Garter snake. I just want to ask you what you think of the frog that's come to the stream.

"I really don't know," harangued Miss Gazelle. "I didn't know about any frog. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," voiced Mister Garter snake offhandedly. "I heard that this frog likes to hook cans of soup."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Garter snake, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the stream when we get a lot of frogs hooking cans of soup?"

"I can't imagine," jeered Miss Gazelle.

"What are we going to do about it?" taunted Mister Garter snake.

"Appoint a committee?" responded Miss Gazelle, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Garter snake had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Garter snake cautiously. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," worried Miss Gazelle impatiently, 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 Garter snake awkwardly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," warbled Miss Gazelle oddly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the card table on her front porch, looking out over the stream and snarling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Garter snake. Do come again."

"Just a minute," voiced Mister Garter snake sweetly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Gazelle sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied hopelessly.