Miss Yak And The New Neighbor

Miss Yak lived on a savanna in a teepee made of gold bricks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pretzels, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Bird standing there, her hands on her chin. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Bird," Miss Yak sniped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," jeered Mrs. Bird. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sobbed Miss Yak lamely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Seven and Seven?"

"I can't stay," requested Mrs. Bird. I just want to ask you what you think of the unicorn that's come to the savanna.

"I really don't know," fantasized Miss Yak. "I didn't know about any unicorn. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," shuddered Mrs. Bird arrogantly. "I heard that this unicorn likes to seal fossils."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Bird, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the savanna when we get a lot of unicorns sealing fossils?"

"I can't imagine," bellowed Miss Yak.

"What are we going to do about it?" maintained Mrs. Bird.

"Appoint a committee?" cackled Miss Yak, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Bird had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," growled Miss Yak hopefully, 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. Bird courageously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," fumed Miss Yak suspiciously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the china hutch on her front porch, looking out over the savanna and doing the Hokey Pokey. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Bird. Do come again."

"Just a minute," peeped Mrs. Bird lazily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Yak sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied fearfully.