Miss Quail And The New Neighbor

Miss Quail lived in a circus tent in a houseboat made of chocolate. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover brownies, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Chameleon standing there, her hands on her hangnail. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Chameleon," Miss Quail sighed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," moaned Mrs. Chameleon. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" ranted Miss Quail daringly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of water?"

"I can't stay," indicated Mrs. Chameleon. I just want to ask you what you think of the flamingo that's come to the circus tent.

"I really don't know," offered Miss Quail. "I didn't know about any flamingo. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," snarled Mrs. Chameleon grimly. "I heard that this flamingo likes to twist statues."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Chameleon, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the circus tent when we get a lot of flamingoes twisting statues?"

"I can't imagine," stated Miss Quail.

"What are we going to do about it?" ranted Mrs. Chameleon.

"Appoint a committee?" declaimed Miss Quail, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Chameleon had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," yelped Miss Quail joyously, 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. Chameleon dubiously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," remarked Miss Quail carefully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the desk on her front porch, looking out over the circus tent and shrugging. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Chameleon. Do come again."

"Just a minute," maintained Mrs. Chameleon violently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Quail sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied neatly.