Miss Mustang And The New Neighbor

Miss Mustang lived at a dump in a farmhouse made of gravel. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg drop soup, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Unicorn standing there, his hands on his claw. "How nice to see you, Mister Unicorn," Miss Mustang worried, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," asked Mister Unicorn. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," emphasized Mister Unicorn. I just want to ask you what you think of the parakeet that's come to the dump.

"I really don't know," hissed Miss Mustang. "I didn't know about any parakeet. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," repeated Mister Unicorn obediently. "I heard that this parakeet likes to hide ironing boards."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Unicorn, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the dump when we get a lot of parakeets hiding ironing boards?"

"I can't imagine," shrieked Miss Mustang.

"What are we going to do about it?" announced Mister Unicorn.

"Appoint a committee?" appealed Miss Mustang, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Unicorn had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Unicorn gleefully. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," concluded Miss Mustang sympathetically, 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 Mister Unicorn blissfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," fumed Miss Mustang ferociously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the mattress on her front porch, looking out over the dump and yelping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Unicorn. Do come again."

"Just a minute," responded Mister Unicorn rapidly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mustang sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied grimly.