Miss Puppy And The New Neighbor

Miss Puppy lived in a treetop in a mobile home made of canvas. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fondue, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Bat standing there, his hands on his eyelash. "How nice to see you, Mister Bat," Miss Puppy grieved, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," clarified Mister Bat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" pronounced Miss Puppy merrily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cappuccino?"

"I can't stay," proposed Mister Bat. I just want to ask you what you think of the hawk that's come to the treetop.

"I really don't know," realized Miss Puppy. "I didn't know about any hawk. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," questioned Mister Bat thankfully. "I heard that this hawk likes to pack pieces of candy."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Bat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the treetop when we get a lot of hawks packing pieces of candy?"

"I can't imagine," jeered Miss Puppy.

"What are we going to do about it?" enunciated Mister Bat.

"Appoint a committee?" boomed Miss Puppy, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Bat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," spouted Miss Puppy diligently, 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 Bat despondently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," worried Miss Puppy sarcastically, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the mattress on her front porch, looking out over the treetop and coming back. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Bat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," screamed Mister Bat solemnly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Puppy sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied rapidly.