Miss Chameleon And The New Neighbor

Miss Chameleon lived in a swamp in a boxcar made of Velcro. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover mulligan stew, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Bull standing there, her hands on her thyroid gland. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Bull," Miss Chameleon croaked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," smirked Mrs. Bull. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" concluded Miss Chameleon pityingly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of apricot juice?"

"I can't stay," judged Mrs. Bull. I just want to ask you what you think of the robot that's come to the swamp.

"I really don't know," bellowed Miss Chameleon. "I didn't know about any robot. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," laughed Mrs. Bull happily. "I heard that this robot likes to wash clothespins."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Bull, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the swamp when we get a lot of robots washing clothespins?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" prattled Mrs. Bull.

"Appoint a committee?" preached Miss Chameleon, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Bull had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," argued Miss Chameleon perkily, 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. Bull gracefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," declared Miss Chameleon flightily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the beanbag chair on her front porch, looking out over the swamp and meditating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Bull. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sighed Mrs. Bull proudly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Chameleon sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied vacantly.