Miss Brine Shrimp And The New Neighbor

Miss Brine shrimp lived on a hill in a nunnery made of adobe. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover chocolate-covered ants, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Nightingale standing there, her hands on her hoof. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Nightingale," Miss Brine shrimp requested, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," pronounced Mrs. Nightingale. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" revealed Miss Brine shrimp boisterously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mountain Dew?"

"I can't stay," sniped Mrs. Nightingale. I just want to ask you what you think of the Siamese cat that's come to the hill.

"I really don't know," raved Miss Brine shrimp. "I didn't know about any Siamese cat. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," hollered Mrs. Nightingale sourly. "I heard that this Siamese cat likes to review pairs of pliers."

"Um, I don't know what to say," mouthed Miss Brine shrimp, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Nightingale, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hill when we get a lot of Siamese cats reviewing pairs of pliers?"

"I can't imagine," reasoned Miss Brine shrimp.

"What are we going to do about it?" phrased Mrs. Nightingale.

"Appoint a committee?" commented Miss Brine shrimp, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Nightingale had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," questioned Miss Brine shrimp grudgingly, 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. Nightingale sorrowfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," simpered Miss Brine shrimp woodenly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the end table on her front porch, looking out over the hill and snoring. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Nightingale. Do come again."

"Just a minute," shuddered Mrs. Nightingale brashly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Brine shrimp sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied obediently.