Miss Dromedary And The New Neighbor

Miss Dromedary lived in a backyard in a houseboat made of iron. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lamb curry, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Hedgehog standing there, his hands on his face. "How nice to see you, Mister Hedgehog," Miss Dromedary worried, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," sighed Mister Hedgehog. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," hollered Mister Hedgehog. I just want to ask you what you think of the raven that's come to the backyard.

"I really don't know," mused Miss Dromedary. "I didn't know about any raven. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," requested Mister Hedgehog sarcastically. "I heard that this raven likes to condemn magnets."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Hedgehog, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the backyard when we get a lot of ravens condemning magnets?"

"I can't imagine," hummed Miss Dromedary.

"What are we going to do about it?" asked Mister Hedgehog.

"Appoint a committee?" yelped Miss Dromedary, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Hedgehog had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," concluded Miss Dromedary languidly, 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 Hedgehog uselessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," squealed Miss Dromedary sweetly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bar stool on her front porch, looking out over the backyard and cogitating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Hedgehog. Do come again."

"Just a minute," fretted Mister Hedgehog surreptitiously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dromedary sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied noisily.