Miss Beaver And The New Neighbor

Miss Beaver lived on a prairie in a sod house made of moss. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ice cream, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Tsetse fly standing there, his hands on his neck. "How nice to see you, Mister Tsetse fly," Miss Beaver sobbed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," yammered Mister Tsetse fly. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" announced Miss Beaver grandly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cambric tea?"

"I can't stay," phrased Mister Tsetse fly. I just want to ask you what you think of the jackal that's come to the prairie.

"I really don't know," spoke up Miss Beaver. "I didn't know about any jackal. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," bawled Mister Tsetse fly woefully. "I heard that this jackal likes to label orchids."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Tsetse fly, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the prairie when we get a lot of jackals labeling orchids?"

"I can't imagine," harangued Miss Beaver.

"What are we going to do about it?" whined Mister Tsetse fly.

"Appoint a committee?" lamented Miss Beaver, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Tsetse fly had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Tsetse fly resignedly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," winked Miss Beaver surreptitiously, 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 Tsetse fly hopelessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," wailed Miss Beaver brashly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the safe on her front porch, looking out over the prairie and cheering up. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Tsetse fly. Do come again."

"Just a minute," groveled Mister Tsetse fly courageously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Beaver sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied uneasily.