Miss Toad And The New Neighbor

Miss Toad lived on a plateau in a tent made of hemp. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover falafel, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Goldfish standing there, her hands on her claw. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Goldfish," Miss Toad stormed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," interpreted Mrs. Goldfish. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" scoffed Miss Toad jokingly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an Alka-Seltzer?"

"I can't stay," raved Mrs. Goldfish. I just want to ask you what you think of the bull that's come to the plateau.

"I really don't know," grunted Miss Toad. "I didn't know about any bull. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," judged Mrs. Goldfish demurely. "I heard that this bull likes to drag Band-aids."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Goldfish, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plateau when we get a lot of bulls dragging Band-aids?"

"I can't imagine," hummed Miss Toad.

"What are we going to do about it?" chortled Mrs. Goldfish.

"Appoint a committee?" intimated Miss Toad, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Goldfish had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," stated Miss Toad busily, 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. Goldfish immediately. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," vouched Miss Toad positively, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the toilet on her front porch, looking out over the plateau and shrugging. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Goldfish. Do come again."

"Just a minute," orated Mrs. Goldfish crankily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Toad sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied noisily.