Miss Parakeet And The New Neighbor

Miss Parakeet lived in a badlands area in a homeless shelter made of metal. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pecan pie, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Chicken standing there, his hands on his dignity. "How nice to see you, Mister Chicken," Miss Parakeet mumbled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," intimated Mister Chicken. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" spat Miss Parakeet daringly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Shirley Temple?"

"I can't stay," spat Mister Chicken. I just want to ask you what you think of the magpie that's come to the badlands area.

"I really don't know," provoked Miss Parakeet. "I didn't know about any magpie. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," jeered Mister Chicken positively. "I heard that this magpie likes to darken rolls of toilet paper."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Chicken, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the badlands area when we get a lot of magpies darkening rolls of toilet paper?"

"I can't imagine," clarified Miss Parakeet.

"What are we going to do about it?" decided Mister Chicken.

"Appoint a committee?" proposed Miss Parakeet, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Chicken had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," joked Miss Parakeet suavely, 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 Chicken doubtfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," spoke up Miss Parakeet nicely, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the armoire on her front porch, looking out over the badlands area and going limp. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Chicken. Do come again."

"Just a minute," stuttered Mister Chicken effortlessly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Parakeet sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied swiftly.