Miss Tsetse Fly And The New Neighbor

Miss Tsetse fly lived on a path in a tent made of bronze. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover duck a l'orange, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Basset hound standing there, her hands on her spleen. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Basset hound," Miss Tsetse fly divulged, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," acknowledged Mrs. Basset hound. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" orated Miss Tsetse fly noisily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a 7-Up?"

"I can't stay," reasoned Mrs. Basset hound. I just want to ask you what you think of the moose that's come to the path.

"I really don't know," piped up Miss Tsetse fly. "I didn't know about any moose. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," squeaked Mrs. Basset hound sternly. "I heard that this moose likes to banish rolls of duct tape."

"Um, I don't know what to say," jeered Miss Tsetse fly, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Basset hound, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the path when we get a lot of moose banishing rolls of duct tape?"

"I can't imagine," cackled Miss Tsetse fly.

"What are we going to do about it?" gasped Mrs. Basset hound.

"Appoint a committee?" asserted Miss Tsetse fly, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Basset hound had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Basset hound tensely. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," stuttered Miss Tsetse fly brashly, 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. Basset hound warily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," whimpered Miss Tsetse fly grandly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the chest of drawers on her front porch, looking out over the path and doodling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Basset hound. Do come again."

"Just a minute," croaked Mrs. Basset hound cautiously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Tsetse fly sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied ignobly.