Miss Wallaby And The New Neighbor

Miss Wallaby lived in a hayfield in a log cabin made of gold. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover prune pudding, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Jellyfish standing there, his hands on his finger. "How nice to see you, Mister Jellyfish," Miss Wallaby trumpeted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," proposed Mister Jellyfish. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sniveled Miss Wallaby trustingly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a tequila sunrise?"

"I can't stay," divulged Mister Jellyfish. I just want to ask you what you think of the finch that's come to the hayfield.

"I really don't know," complained Miss Wallaby. "I didn't know about any finch. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," pronounced Mister Jellyfish nonchalantly. "I heard that this finch likes to play with statues."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Jellyfish, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hayfield when we get a lot of finches playing with statues?"

"I can't imagine," wept Miss Wallaby.

"What are we going to do about it?" informed Mister Jellyfish.

"Appoint a committee?" comforted Miss Wallaby, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Jellyfish had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," smirked Miss Wallaby flightily, 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 Jellyfish peevishly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," howled Miss Wallaby courteously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the washing machine on her front porch, looking out over the hayfield and glaring. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Jellyfish. Do come again."

"Just a minute," avowed Mister Jellyfish crossly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Wallaby sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied courteously.