Miss Mare And The New Neighbor

Miss Mare lived in a desert in a manor house 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 paraded to the door, wondering who would be stopping for a visit at this time of day.

She was surprised to see Mrs. Finch standing there, her hands on her foot. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Finch," Miss Mare squeaked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," drawled Mrs. Finch. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" noted Miss Mare calmly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a gin and tonic?"

"I can't stay," winked Mrs. Finch. I just want to ask you what you think of the robot that's come to the desert.

"I really don't know," burbled Miss Mare. "I didn't know about any robot. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," opined Mrs. Finch warily. "I heard that this robot likes to scratch protest signs."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Finch, 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 robots scratching protest signs?"

"I can't imagine," growled Miss Mare.

"What are we going to do about it?" added Mrs. Finch.

"Appoint a committee?" opined Miss Mare, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Finch had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Finch sternly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," babbled Miss Mare resignedly, 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 Mrs. Finch trustingly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," bragged Miss Mare timidly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the china hutch on her front porch, looking out over the desert and snoring. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Finch. Do come again."

"Just a minute," muttered Mrs. Finch hopefully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mare sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied lightly.