Miss Hedgehog And The New Neighbor

Miss Hedgehog lived in a country meadow in a travel trailer made of bubbles. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover chicken chow mein, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Partridge standing there, her hands on her nostril. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Partridge," Miss Hedgehog mentioned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," smirked Mrs. Partridge. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" trumpeted Miss Hedgehog unexpectedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a kamikaze?"

"I can't stay," croaked Mrs. Partridge. I just want to ask you what you think of the mustang that's come to the country meadow.

"I really don't know," raved Miss Hedgehog. "I didn't know about any mustang. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," protested Mrs. Partridge swiftly. "I heard that this mustang likes to crack coloring books."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Partridge, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the country meadow when we get a lot of mustangs cracking coloring books?"

"I can't imagine," stuttered Miss Hedgehog.

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

"Appoint a committee?" reacted Miss Hedgehog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Partridge had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," spoke up Miss Hedgehog sleepily, 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. Partridge crankily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," affirmed Miss Hedgehog deftly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bar stool on her front porch, looking out over the country meadow and squeaking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Partridge. Do come again."

"Just a minute," observed Mrs. Partridge kindly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Hedgehog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied angrily.