Miss Dinosaur And The New Neighbor

Miss Dinosaur lived on a grassy knoll in a junk car made of plywood. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover potatoes and gravy, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Pelican standing there, her hands on her lung. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Pelican," Miss Dinosaur blubbered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," vouched Mrs. Pelican. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yawned Miss Dinosaur primly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of fruit punch?"

"I can't stay," nattered Mrs. Pelican. I just want to ask you what you think of the panda that's come to the grassy knoll.

"I really don't know," shrieked Miss Dinosaur. "I didn't know about any panda. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," appealed Mrs. Pelican glibly. "I heard that this panda likes to melt cupcakes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Pelican, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the grassy knoll when we get a lot of pandas melting cupcakes?"

"I can't imagine," ranted Miss Dinosaur.

"What are we going to do about it?" admitted Mrs. Pelican.

"Appoint a committee?" snorted Miss Dinosaur, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Pelican had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," begged Miss Dinosaur glumly, 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. Pelican unabashedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," wept Miss Dinosaur gently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the sofa on her front porch, looking out over the grassy knoll and adjusting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Pelican. Do come again."

"Just a minute," rebutted Mrs. Pelican fearlessly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dinosaur sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied doubtfully.