Miss Ghost And The New Neighbor

Miss Ghost lived on a steppe in a loft made of Tyvek. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover dirty rice, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Llama standing there, her hands on her chin. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Llama," Miss Ghost ranted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," scoffed Mrs. Llama. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" roared Miss Ghost suspiciously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a secret potion?"

"I can't stay," rambled Mrs. Llama. I just want to ask you what you think of the mosquito that's come to the steppe.

"I really don't know," remarked Miss Ghost. "I didn't know about any mosquito. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," professed Mrs. Llama hopelessly. "I heard that this mosquito likes to demolish calculators."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Llama, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the steppe when we get a lot of mosquitoes demolishing calculators?"

"I can't imagine," crooned Miss Ghost.

"What are we going to do about it?" purred Mrs. Llama.

"Appoint a committee?" informed Miss Ghost, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Llama had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," clarified Miss Ghost threateningly, 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. Llama nicely. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," commented Miss Ghost impatiently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pool table on her front porch, looking out over the steppe and huffing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Llama. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hinted Mrs. Llama testily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Ghost sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied demurely.