Miss Dromedary And The New Neighbor

Miss Dromedary lived on a mountain in a chapel made of granite. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover beef bouillon, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Chipmunk standing there, her hands on her head. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Chipmunk," Miss Dromedary argued, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," groaned Mrs. Chipmunk. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" mumbled Miss Dromedary despondently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a whiskey?"

"I can't stay," breathed Mrs. Chipmunk. I just want to ask you what you think of the cheetah that's come to the mountain.

"I really don't know," sputtered Miss Dromedary. "I didn't know about any cheetah. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," hinted Mrs. Chipmunk blissfully. "I heard that this cheetah likes to roll forks."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Chipmunk, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountain when we get a lot of cheetahs rolling forks?"

"I can't imagine," appealed Miss Dromedary.

"What are we going to do about it?" argued Mrs. Chipmunk.

"Appoint a committee?" sniffed Miss Dromedary, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Chipmunk had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," blathered Miss Dromedary deliberately, 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. Chipmunk tenderly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," quoted Miss Dromedary quietly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bench on her front porch, looking out over the mountain and swallowing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Chipmunk. Do come again."

"Just a minute," bawled Mrs. Chipmunk pityingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dromedary sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sharply.