Miss Pheasant And The New Neighbor

Miss Pheasant lived on a mesa in a motor home made of egg shells. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover enchiladas, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Parrot standing there, her hands on her ego. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Parrot," Miss Pheasant added, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," blathered Mrs. Parrot. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yammered Miss Pheasant zestily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a rum and Coke?"

"I can't stay," stammered Mrs. Parrot. I just want to ask you what you think of the hog that's come to the mesa.

"I really don't know," spewed Miss Pheasant. "I didn't know about any hog. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," intimated Mrs. Parrot bitterly. "I heard that this hog likes to push coat hangers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Parrot, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mesa when we get a lot of hogs pushing coat hangers?"

"I can't imagine," imitated Miss Pheasant.

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

"Appoint a committee?" mouthed Miss Pheasant, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Parrot had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," added Miss Pheasant blissfully, 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. Parrot needlessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," instructed Miss Pheasant miserably, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the hammock on her front porch, looking out over the mesa and screeching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Parrot. Do come again."

"Just a minute," responded Mrs. Parrot sternly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Pheasant sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied blissfully.