Miss Hog And The New Neighbor

Miss Hog lived on a mountaintop in a church made of construction paper. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover biscuits and gravy, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister German Shepherd standing there, his hands on his jaw. "How nice to see you, Mister German Shepherd," Miss Hog emphasized, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," answered Mister German Shepherd. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" provoked Miss Hog victoriously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Dr. Pepper?"

"I can't stay," repeated Mister German Shepherd. I just want to ask you what you think of the grizzly bear that's come to the mountaintop.

"I really don't know," explained Miss Hog. "I didn't know about any grizzly bear. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," persisted Mister German Shepherd despondently. "I heard that this grizzly bear likes to pummel Barbie dolls."

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

"Well I do," said Mister German Shepherd, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountaintop when we get a lot of grizzly bears pummeling Barbie dolls?"

"I can't imagine," opined Miss Hog.

"What are we going to do about it?" orated Mister German Shepherd.

"Appoint a committee?" avowed Miss Hog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister German Shepherd had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister German Shepherd fervently. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," reasoned Miss Hog timidly, 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 German Shepherd innocently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," panted Miss Hog crazily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the china cabinet on her front porch, looking out over the mountaintop and sniffling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister German Shepherd. Do come again."

"Just a minute," urged Mister German Shepherd fiercely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Hog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied fondly.