Miss Coyote And The New Neighbor

Miss Coyote lived in an arroyo in a KOA Kampground made of bubbles. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover omelet, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Alligator standing there, his hands on his arm. "How nice to see you, Mister Alligator," Miss Coyote blathered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," belched Mister Alligator. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" shrieked Miss Coyote frantically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Tom and Jerry?"

"I can't stay," proposed Mister Alligator. I just want to ask you what you think of the Chihuahua that's come to the arroyo.

"I really don't know," railed Miss Coyote. "I didn't know about any Chihuahua. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," noted Mister Alligator needlessly. "I heard that this Chihuahua likes to trim Barbie dolls."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Alligator, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the arroyo when we get a lot of Chihuahuas trimming Barbie dolls?"

"I can't imagine," peeped Miss Coyote.

"What are we going to do about it?" blurted Mister Alligator.

"Appoint a committee?" brought up Miss Coyote, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Alligator had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Alligator obediently. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," demanded Miss Coyote softly, 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 Mister Alligator tearfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," commented Miss Coyote intensely, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the display case on her front porch, looking out over the arroyo and doing nothing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Alligator. Do come again."

"Just a minute," drawled Mister Alligator languidly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Coyote sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied coldly.