Miss Cheetah And The New Neighbor

Miss Cheetah lived on a mountain in a subway tunnel made of leaves and twigs. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cookies, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Toad standing there, his hands on his eye. "How nice to see you, Mister Toad," Miss Cheetah asserted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," gabbed Mister Toad. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" requested Miss Cheetah daintily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mudslide?"

"I can't stay," retorted Mister Toad. I just want to ask you what you think of the horsie that's come to the mountain.

"I really don't know," invited Miss Cheetah. "I didn't know about any horsie. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," realized Mister Toad positively. "I heard that this horsie likes to fold telephone books."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Toad, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountain when we get a lot of horsies folding telephone books?"

"I can't imagine," cried Miss Cheetah.

"What are we going to do about it?" groaned Mister Toad.

"Appoint a committee?" stuttered Miss Cheetah, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Toad had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," stammered Miss Cheetah lazily, 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 Toad rapidly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," wept Miss Cheetah mysteriously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the futon on her front porch, looking out over the mountain and spitting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Toad. Do come again."

"Just a minute," debated Mister Toad humbly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Cheetah sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied unexpectedly.