Miss Lobster And The New Neighbor

Miss Lobster lived in a pasture in an igloo made of bones. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover sweet potatoes, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" boomed Miss Lobster patiently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a latte?"

"I can't stay," judged Mrs. Cockatiel. I just want to ask you what you think of the bandicoot that's come to the pasture.

"I really don't know," guessed Miss Lobster. "I didn't know about any bandicoot. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," requested Mrs. Cockatiel crossly. "I heard that this bandicoot likes to observe pizzas."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Cockatiel, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pasture when we get a lot of bandicoots observing pizzas?"

"I can't imagine," avowed Miss Lobster.

"What are we going to do about it?" judged Mrs. Cockatiel.

"Appoint a committee?" complained Miss Lobster, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Cockatiel had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," snarled Miss Lobster intensely, 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. Cockatiel slyly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," griped Miss Lobster fiercely, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the hammock on her front porch, looking out over the pasture and gazing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Cockatiel. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sputtered Mrs. Cockatiel fondly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Lobster sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied dolefully.