Miss Llama And The New Neighbor

Miss Llama lived in a cave in a Cape Cod made of sweat and toil. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover wienerschnitzel, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" grunted Miss Llama strangely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of apple juice?"

"I can't stay," joked Mrs. Snake. I just want to ask you what you think of the anteater that's come to the cave.

"I really don't know," answered Miss Llama. "I didn't know about any anteater. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," breathed Mrs. Snake smoothly. "I heard that this anteater likes to lynch remote controls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Snake, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cave when we get a lot of anteaters lynching remote controls?"

"I can't imagine," contended Miss Llama.

"What are we going to do about it?" cajoled Mrs. Snake.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," babbled Miss Llama shyly, 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. Snake brashly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," snarled Miss Llama speedily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the dishwasher on her front porch, looking out over the cave and watching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Snake. Do come again."

"Just a minute," repeated Mrs. Snake flightily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Llama sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied again.