Miss Troll And The New Neighbor

Miss Troll lived at a lakeside in a mobile home made of chewing gum. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover mushroom quiche, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Hog standing there, his hands on his appendix. "How nice to see you, Mister Hog," Miss Troll uttered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," rationalized Mister Hog. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" phrased Miss Troll effortlessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an ice cream soda?"

"I can't stay," spat Mister Hog. I just want to ask you what you think of the airedale that's come to the lakeside.

"I really don't know," judged Miss Troll. "I didn't know about any airedale. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," voiced Mister Hog thankfully. "I heard that this airedale likes to bleach iPhones."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Hog, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the lakeside when we get a lot of airedales bleaching iPhones?"

"I can't imagine," demanded Miss Troll.

"What are we going to do about it?" bragged Mister Hog.

"Appoint a committee?" cried Miss Troll, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Hog had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," recited Miss Troll jokingly, 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 Hog slowly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," nattered Miss Troll uneasily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the nightstand on her front porch, looking out over the lakeside and carrying on. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Hog. Do come again."

"Just a minute," debated Mister Hog sourly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Troll sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied rapidly.