Miss Prairie Dog And The New Neighbor

Miss Prairie dog lived in a garden in a cave made of antimatter. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover French fries, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Anteater standing there, his hands on his ego. "How nice to see you, Mister Anteater," Miss Prairie dog blurted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," belched Mister Anteater. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" taunted Miss Prairie dog doubtfully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Shirley Temple?"

"I can't stay," observed Mister Anteater. I just want to ask you what you think of the robot that's come to the garden.

"I really don't know," squealed Miss Prairie dog. "I didn't know about any robot. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," harangued Mister Anteater blissfully. "I heard that this robot likes to copy notebooks."

"Um, I don't know what to say," wondered Miss Prairie dog, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Anteater, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the garden when we get a lot of robots copying notebooks?"

"I can't imagine," burbled Miss Prairie dog.

"What are we going to do about it?" joked Mister Anteater.

"Appoint a committee?" groaned Miss Prairie dog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Anteater had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," intoned Miss Prairie dog fiercely, 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 Anteater sorrowfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," piped up Miss Prairie dog threateningly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the toilet on her front porch, looking out over the garden and frowning. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Anteater. Do come again."

"Just a minute," opined Mister Anteater lamely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Prairie dog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied violently.