Miss Hog And The New Neighbor

Miss Hog lived in a gully in a brownstone made of limestone. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover banana split, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Seal standing there, her hands on her chin. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Seal," Miss Hog spoke up, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," asserted Mrs. Seal. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" wept Miss Hog carelessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a sassafras tea?"

"I can't stay," invited Mrs. Seal. I just want to ask you what you think of the mare that's come to the gully.

"I really don't know," pointed out Miss Hog. "I didn't know about any mare. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sniveled Mrs. Seal ingeniously. "I heard that this mare likes to wrap oranges."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Seal, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gully when we get a lot of mares wrapping oranges?"

"I can't imagine," fantasized Miss Hog.

"What are we going to do about it?" purred Mrs. Seal.

"Appoint a committee?" indicated Miss Hog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Seal had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," divulged Miss Hog sorrowfully, 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. Seal confidently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," clarified Miss Hog steadily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the couch on her front porch, looking out over the gully and coming along. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Seal. Do come again."

"Just a minute," added Mrs. Seal grimly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Hog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied blindly.