Miss Chihuahua And The New Neighbor

Miss Chihuahua lived in a desert in a mobile home made of beeswax. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover strawberry shortcake, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Kitten standing there, his hands on his appendix. "How nice to see you, Mister Kitten," Miss Chihuahua provoked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," wept Mister Kitten. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" divulged Miss Chihuahua uselessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a shot of whiskey?"

"I can't stay," rationalized Mister Kitten. I just want to ask you what you think of the tarantula that's come to the desert.

"I really don't know," rambled Miss Chihuahua. "I didn't know about any tarantula. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," murmured Mister Kitten courteously. "I heard that this tarantula likes to modify notepads."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Kitten, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the desert when we get a lot of tarantulas modifying notepads?"

"I can't imagine," offered Miss Chihuahua.

"What are we going to do about it?" remarked Mister Kitten.

"Appoint a committee?" murmured Miss Chihuahua, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Kitten had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," whispered Miss Chihuahua sadly, 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 Kitten threateningly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," thought Miss Chihuahua narrowly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the ping-pong table on her front porch, looking out over the desert and falling asleep. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Kitten. Do come again."

"Just a minute," responded Mister Kitten ignobly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

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