Miss Gila Monster And The New Neighbor

Miss Gila monster lived in a gulch in a cabin made of mud bricks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fondue, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Dromedary standing there, her hands on her eyebrow. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dromedary," Miss Gila monster roared, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," asked Mrs. Dromedary. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sniveled Miss Gila monster dreamily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of Gatorade?"

"I can't stay," accused Mrs. Dromedary. I just want to ask you what you think of the mouse that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," vowed Miss Gila monster. "I didn't know about any mouse. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," orated Mrs. Dromedary silently. "I heard that this mouse likes to overlook feather dusters."

"Um, I don't know what to say," babbled Miss Gila monster, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dromedary, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of mice overlooking feather dusters?"

"I can't imagine," demanded Miss Gila monster.

"What are we going to do about it?" rebutted Mrs. Dromedary.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," rumored Miss Gila monster openly, 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. Dromedary briskly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," chimed Miss Gila monster excitedly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the carpet on her front porch, looking out over the gulch and laughing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dromedary. Do come again."

"Just a minute," groveled Mrs. Dromedary ingeniously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Gila monster sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied crankily.