Miss Ostrich And The New Neighbor

Miss Ostrich lived in a hayfield in a palace made of paper clips. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Hamburger Helper, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Dinosaur standing there, his hands on his leg. "How nice to see you, Mister Dinosaur," Miss Ostrich requested, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," declaimed Mister Dinosaur. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" rumored Miss Ostrich cruelly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an iced tea?"

"I can't stay," lamented Mister Dinosaur. I just want to ask you what you think of the hippopotamus that's come to the hayfield.

"I really don't know," blustered Miss Ostrich. "I didn't know about any hippopotamus. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," fretted Mister Dinosaur curiously. "I heard that this hippopotamus likes to kill forks."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Dinosaur, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hayfield when we get a lot of hippopotami killing forks?"

"I can't imagine," declaimed Miss Ostrich.

"What are we going to do about it?" alleged Mister Dinosaur.

"Appoint a committee?" provoked Miss Ostrich, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Dinosaur had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," warbled Miss Ostrich steadily, 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 Dinosaur hopefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," requested Miss Ostrich nicely, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the couch on her front porch, looking out over the hayfield and gasping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Dinosaur. Do come again."

"Just a minute," mentioned Mister Dinosaur surreptitiously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Ostrich sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied zestily.