Miss Robot And The New Neighbor

Miss Robot lived beside a river in a studio made of glass brick. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pizza, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Robot standing there, her hands on her aorta. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Robot," Miss Robot yawned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," sputtered Mrs. Robot. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" shrieked Miss Robot frenetically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of milk?"

"I can't stay," inquired Mrs. Robot. I just want to ask you what you think of the aardvark that's come to the river.

"I really don't know," quoted Miss Robot. "I didn't know about any aardvark. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," provoked Mrs. Robot vacantly. "I heard that this aardvark likes to enclose corncobs."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Robot, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the river when we get a lot of aardvarks enclosing corncobs?"

"I can't imagine," squealed Miss Robot.

"What are we going to do about it?" groaned Mrs. Robot.

"Appoint a committee?" chortled Miss Robot, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Robot had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," crooned Miss Robot slowly, 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. Robot diligently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," repeated Miss Robot madly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pedestal on her front porch, looking out over the river and backing up. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Robot. Do come again."

"Just a minute," rumored Mrs. Robot fervently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Robot sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied pityingly.