Miss Lion And The New Neighbor

Miss Lion lived on a hillside in a dugout made of ribbons. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover crab rangoon, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Kangaroo standing there, his hands on his eyelid. "How nice to see you, Mister Kangaroo," Miss Lion phrased, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," squealed Mister Kangaroo. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" growled Miss Lion ruefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of cocoa?"

"I can't stay," reasoned Mister Kangaroo. I just want to ask you what you think of the chicken that's come to the hillside.

"I really don't know," trumpeted Miss Lion. "I didn't know about any chicken. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," remarked Mister Kangaroo strictly. "I heard that this chicken likes to grab pacifiers."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Kangaroo, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hillside when we get a lot of chickens grabbing pacifiers?"

"I can't imagine," mouthed Miss Lion.

"What are we going to do about it?" snarled Mister Kangaroo.

"Appoint a committee?" exploded Miss Lion, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Kangaroo had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," provoked Miss Lion zestily, 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 Kangaroo hysterically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," spat Miss Lion sheepishly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the chair on her front porch, looking out over the hillside and squeaking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Kangaroo. Do come again."

"Just a minute," protested Mister Kangaroo energetically. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Lion sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied accidentally.