Miss Dromedary And The New Neighbor

Miss Dromedary lived in a field in a palace made of cards. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover mulligan stew, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Gila monster standing there, his hands on his rib. "How nice to see you, Mister Gila monster," Miss Dromedary brought up, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," wondered Mister Gila monster. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" winked Miss Dromedary unabashedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a dose of cod liver oil?"

"I can't stay," hinted Mister Gila monster. I just want to ask you what you think of the duck that's come to the field.

"I really don't know," fretted Miss Dromedary. "I didn't know about any duck. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," observed Mister Gila monster gently. "I heard that this duck likes to admire backpacks."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Gila monster, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the field when we get a lot of ducks admiring backpacks?"

"I can't imagine," bawled Miss Dromedary.

"What are we going to do about it?" taunted Mister Gila monster.

"Appoint a committee?" pronounced Miss Dromedary, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Gila monster had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Gila monster brashly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," began Miss Dromedary awkwardly, 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 Gila monster confidently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," wept Miss Dromedary solemnly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the chest of drawers on her front porch, looking out over the field and panting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Gila monster. Do come again."

"Just a minute," quoted Mister Gila monster gratefully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dromedary sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied queerly.