Miss Gerbil And The New Neighbor

Miss Gerbil lived in a pond in a hovel made of mud bricks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover corn on the cob, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Bumblebee standing there, his hands on his throat. "How nice to see you, Mister Bumblebee," Miss Gerbil vouched, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," insisted Mister Bumblebee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" judged Miss Gerbil sarcastically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of Sanka?"

"I can't stay," sniped Mister Bumblebee. I just want to ask you what you think of the yak that's come to the pond.

"I really don't know," suggested Miss Gerbil. "I didn't know about any yak. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," nattered Mister Bumblebee confidently. "I heard that this yak likes to shake snails."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Bumblebee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pond when we get a lot of yaks shaking snails?"

"I can't imagine," spoke up Miss Gerbil.

"What are we going to do about it?" agreed Mister Bumblebee.

"Appoint a committee?" reacted Miss Gerbil, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Bumblebee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," railed Miss Gerbil ferociously, 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 Bumblebee sadly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," announced Miss Gerbil brashly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the computer on her front porch, looking out over the pond and flinching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Bumblebee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," offered Mister Bumblebee madly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Gerbil sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied lamely.