Miss Donkey And The New Neighbor

Miss Donkey lived in an outback in a dugout made of graham crackers. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fried eggs, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Coyote standing there, her hands on her Achilles tendon. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Coyote," Miss Donkey rumored, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," pleaded Mrs. Coyote. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sobbed Miss Donkey anxiously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of apricot juice?"

"I can't stay," blubbered Mrs. Coyote. I just want to ask you what you think of the sheep that's come to the outback.

"I really don't know," commented Miss Donkey. "I didn't know about any sheep. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," wept Mrs. Coyote speedily. "I heard that this sheep likes to develop bags of groceries."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Coyote, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the outback when we get a lot of sheep developing bags of groceries?"

"I can't imagine," yowled Miss Donkey.

"What are we going to do about it?" swore Mrs. Coyote.

"Appoint a committee?" exclaimed Miss Donkey, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Coyote had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," thought Miss Donkey deliberately, 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. Coyote shakily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," preached Miss Donkey offhandedly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the TV on her front porch, looking out over the outback and glaring. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Coyote. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sneered Mrs. Coyote perkily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Donkey sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied truculently.