Miss Hermit Crab And The New Neighbor

Miss Hermit crab lived in a lagoon in a boxcar made of tar. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover spaghetti, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Coyote standing there, his hands on his claw. "How nice to see you, Mister Coyote," Miss Hermit crab asked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," blurted Mister Coyote. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" requested Miss Hermit crab fearfully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a gin sour?"

"I can't stay," reacted Mister Coyote. I just want to ask you what you think of the mosquito that's come to the lagoon.

"I really don't know," concluded Miss Hermit crab. "I didn't know about any mosquito. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," laughed Mister Coyote timidly. "I heard that this mosquito likes to tickle sponges."

"Um, I don't know what to say," boasted Miss Hermit crab, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Coyote, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the lagoon when we get a lot of mosquitoes tickling sponges?"

"I can't imagine," wailed Miss Hermit crab.

"What are we going to do about it?" winked Mister Coyote.

"Appoint a committee?" griped Miss Hermit crab, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Coyote had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," hummed Miss Hermit crab bravely, 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 Coyote temperamentally. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," wept Miss Hermit crab wearily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the dining table on her front porch, looking out over the lagoon and itching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Coyote. Do come again."

"Just a minute," squealed Mister Coyote surreptitiously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Hermit crab sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied uselessly.