Miss Sloth And The New Neighbor

Miss Sloth lived on a steppe in a palace made of pipe. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover doughnuts, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Kitty standing there, his hands on his chin. "How nice to see you, Mister Kitty," Miss Sloth panted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," decided Mister Kitty. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" judged Miss Sloth curiously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a sassafras tea?"

"I can't stay," declaimed Mister Kitty. I just want to ask you what you think of the eagle that's come to the steppe.

"I really don't know," conversed Miss Sloth. "I didn't know about any eagle. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," admitted Mister Kitty pityingly. "I heard that this eagle likes to stitch spools of thread."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Kitty, 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 eagles stitching spools of thread?"

"I can't imagine," began Miss Sloth.

"What are we going to do about it?" suggested Mister Kitty.

"Appoint a committee?" divulged Miss Sloth, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Kitty had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," urged Miss Sloth unabashedly, 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 Kitty fondly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," belched Miss Sloth ingeniously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the washstand on her front porch, looking out over the steppe and itching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Kitty. Do come again."

"Just a minute," gasped Mister Kitty grandly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Sloth sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied excitedly.