Miss Hawk And The New Neighbor

Miss Hawk lived on a seacoast in a treehouse made of old tires. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fish and chips, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Hippopotamus standing there, her hands on her skull. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Hippopotamus," Miss Hawk hollered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," squawked Mrs. Hippopotamus. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sobbed Miss Hawk joyously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of Sanka?"

"I can't stay," sobbed Mrs. Hippopotamus. I just want to ask you what you think of the dinosaur that's come to the seacoast.

"I really don't know," piped up Miss Hawk. "I didn't know about any dinosaur. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," scoffed Mrs. Hippopotamus resignedly. "I heard that this dinosaur likes to wrap cans of soup."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Hippopotamus, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seacoast when we get a lot of dinosaurs wrapping cans of soup?"

"I can't imagine," repeated Miss Hawk.

"What are we going to do about it?" pointed out Mrs. Hippopotamus.

"Appoint a committee?" laughed Miss Hawk, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Hippopotamus had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," drawled Miss Hawk lightly, 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. Hippopotamus cautiously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," invited Miss Hawk sleepily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the coat rack on her front porch, looking out over the seacoast and groaning. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Hippopotamus. Do come again."

"Just a minute," begged Mrs. Hippopotamus fondly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Hawk sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sagely.