Miss Puppy And The New Neighbor

Miss Puppy lived in a backyard in a motel made of sheet metal. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover macaroni, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

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

"I can't stay," orated Mister Mule. I just want to ask you what you think of the orangutan that's come to the backyard.

"I really don't know," squeaked Miss Puppy. "I didn't know about any orangutan. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," hissed Mister Mule clumsily. "I heard that this orangutan likes to leave paper towels."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Mule, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the backyard when we get a lot of orangutans leaving paper towels?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" retorted Mister Mule.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," screamed Miss Puppy noisily, 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 Mule reluctantly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," intimated Miss Puppy gently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the display case on her front porch, looking out over the backyard and puffing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Mule. Do come again."

"Just a minute," lectured Mister Mule needlessly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

Mister Mule 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 haughtily.