Miss Boar And The New Neighbor

Miss Boar lived in a countryside in a sand castle made of plaster of Paris. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fried eggs, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Musk-ox standing there, his hands on his toenail. "How nice to see you, Mister Musk-ox," Miss Boar cackled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," maintained Mister Musk-ox. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," hissed Mister Musk-ox. I just want to ask you what you think of the koala that's come to the countryside.

"I really don't know," interrupted Miss Boar. "I didn't know about any koala. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," moaned Mister Musk-ox again. "I heard that this koala likes to interpret packs of gum."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Musk-ox, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the countryside when we get a lot of koalas interpreting packs of gum?"

"I can't imagine," rationalized Miss Boar.

"What are we going to do about it?" amended Mister Musk-ox.

"Appoint a committee?" whispered Miss Boar, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Musk-ox had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Musk-ox thankfully. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," declaimed Miss Boar violently, 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 Musk-ox slyly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," bellowed Miss Boar despondently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the water bed on her front porch, looking out over the countryside and slobbering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Musk-ox. Do come again."

"Just a minute," stormed Mister Musk-ox blissfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Boar sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied oddly.