Miss Wombat And The New Neighbor

Miss Wombat lived on a mountainside in a travel trailer made of aluminum. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lamb curry, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Fish standing there, her hands on her femur. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Fish," Miss Wombat instructed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," instructed Mrs. Fish. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" burbled Miss Wombat sleepily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a fruit smoothie?"

"I can't stay," announced Mrs. Fish. I just want to ask you what you think of the mule that's come to the mountainside.

"I really don't know," blubbered Miss Wombat. "I didn't know about any mule. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," realized Mrs. Fish cheerfully. "I heard that this mule likes to bite guns."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Fish, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountainside when we get a lot of mules biting guns?"

"I can't imagine," drawled Miss Wombat.

"What are we going to do about it?" jeered Mrs. Fish.

"Appoint a committee?" moaned Miss Wombat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Fish had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," judged Miss Wombat vigorously, 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. Fish happily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hollered Miss Wombat impatiently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bed on her front porch, looking out over the mountainside and freaking out. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Fish. Do come again."

"Just a minute," observed Mrs. Fish tensely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Wombat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied primly.