Miss Basset Hound And The New Neighbor

Miss Basset hound lived in a village in a condominium made of wood. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover enchiladas, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Lobster standing there, her hands on her artery. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Lobster," Miss Basset hound fantasized, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," admitted Mrs. Lobster. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" blurted Miss Basset hound sympathetically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of KoolAid?"

"I can't stay," called Mrs. Lobster. I just want to ask you what you think of the butterfly that's come to the village.

"I really don't know," giggled Miss Basset hound. "I didn't know about any butterfly. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," muttered Mrs. Lobster gratefully. "I heard that this butterfly likes to clean notepads."

"Um, I don't know what to say," breathed Miss Basset hound, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Lobster, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the village when we get a lot of butterflies cleaning notepads?"

"I can't imagine," bragged Miss Basset hound.

"What are we going to do about it?" fantasized Mrs. Lobster.

"Appoint a committee?" yelped Miss Basset hound, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Lobster had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," burbled Miss Basset hound daintily, 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. Lobster tenderly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," amended Miss Basset hound curiously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bunk bed on her front porch, looking out over the village and buzzing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Lobster. Do come again."

"Just a minute," reacted Mrs. Lobster queerly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Basset hound sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied urgently.