Miss Snipe And The New Neighbor

Miss Snipe lived on a mesa in a skyscraper made of starch. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pizza, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Rabbit standing there, her hands on her tummy. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Rabbit," Miss Snipe affirmed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," mouthed Mrs. Rabbit. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" roared Miss Snipe swiftly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of apricot juice?"

"I can't stay," stormed Mrs. Rabbit. I just want to ask you what you think of the buzzard that's come to the mesa.

"I really don't know," stammered Miss Snipe. "I didn't know about any buzzard. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," remarked Mrs. Rabbit humbly. "I heard that this buzzard likes to harden cans of shaving cream."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Rabbit, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mesa when we get a lot of buzzards hardening cans of shaving cream?"

"I can't imagine," urged Miss Snipe.

"What are we going to do about it?" babbled Mrs. Rabbit.

"Appoint a committee?" noted Miss Snipe, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Rabbit had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," swore Miss Snipe jokingly, 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. Rabbit firmly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," ranted Miss Snipe gleefully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the water bed on her front porch, looking out over the mesa and sniffing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Rabbit. Do come again."

"Just a minute," stammered Mrs. Rabbit merrily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Snipe sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied solemnly.