Miss Magpie And The New Neighbor

Miss Magpie lived in a country meadow in an A-frame made of straw. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover clam chowder, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Ant standing there, her hands on her toe. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Ant," Miss Magpie announced, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," taunted Mrs. Ant. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" remarked Miss Magpie craftily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a tonic?"

"I can't stay," spoke up Mrs. Ant. I just want to ask you what you think of the chimpanzee that's come to the country meadow.

"I really don't know," fumed Miss Magpie. "I didn't know about any chimpanzee. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," requested Mrs. Ant delicately. "I heard that this chimpanzee likes to grab compasses."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Ant, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the country meadow when we get a lot of chimpanzees grabbing compasses?"

"I can't imagine," retorted Miss Magpie.

"What are we going to do about it?" yawned Mrs. Ant.

"Appoint a committee?" hollered Miss Magpie, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Ant had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," fretted Miss Magpie warmly, 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. Ant majestically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," barked Miss Magpie boisterously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the hatstand on her front porch, looking out over the country meadow and peeping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Ant. Do come again."

"Just a minute," fretted Mrs. Ant glumly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Magpie sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sagely.