Miss Jaguar And The New Neighbor

Miss Jaguar lived in a gulch in a trailer made of banana leaves. 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 trekked to the door, wondering who would be stopping for a visit at this time of day.

She was surprised to see Mister Bison standing there, his hands on his horn. "How nice to see you, Mister Bison," Miss Jaguar commented, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," declared Mister Bison. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" noted Miss Jaguar quietly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a V8?"

"I can't stay," sniffed Mister Bison. I just want to ask you what you think of the partridge that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," cried Miss Jaguar. "I didn't know about any partridge. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," said Mister Bison courageously. "I heard that this partridge likes to certify cigars."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Bison, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of partridges certifying cigars?"

"I can't imagine," grunted Miss Jaguar.

"What are we going to do about it?" quavered Mister Bison.

"Appoint a committee?" demanded Miss Jaguar, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Bison had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," boasted Miss Jaguar suspiciously, 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 Bison defiantly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," snarled Miss Jaguar carefully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pool table on her front porch, looking out over the gulch and fulminating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Bison. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sighed Mister Bison cruelly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Jaguar sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied slyly.