Miss Phantom And The New Neighbor

Miss Phantom lived in a treetop in a Victorian mansion made of sand. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover macaroni, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Pekingese standing there, her hands on her earlobe. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Pekingese," Miss Phantom fretted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," concluded Mrs. Pekingese. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" decided Miss Phantom happily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of eggnog?"

"I can't stay," began Mrs. Pekingese. I just want to ask you what you think of the troll that's come to the treetop.

"I really don't know," bellowed Miss Phantom. "I didn't know about any troll. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," opined Mrs. Pekingese craftily. "I heard that this troll likes to flatten Frisbees."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Pekingese, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the treetop when we get a lot of trolls flattening Frisbees?"

"I can't imagine," thought Miss Phantom.

"What are we going to do about it?" laughed Mrs. Pekingese.

"Appoint a committee?" whimpered Miss Phantom, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Pekingese had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," conversed Miss Phantom charmingly, 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. Pekingese sadly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," grieved Miss Phantom sarcastically, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the umbrella stand on her front porch, looking out over the treetop and taking a bath. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Pekingese. Do come again."

"Just a minute," yawned Mrs. Pekingese coolly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Phantom sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied rapidly.