Miss Gazelle And The New Neighbor

Miss Gazelle lived on a mountainside in a studio made of papier-mâché. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cinnamon toast, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Shark standing there, his hands on his Achilles tendon. "How nice to see you, Mister Shark," Miss Gazelle reasoned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," pronounced Mister Shark. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" squawked Miss Gazelle majestically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Tom and Jerry?"

"I can't stay," concluded Mister Shark. I just want to ask you what you think of the duck-billed platypus that's come to the mountainside.

"I really don't know," hummed Miss Gazelle. "I didn't know about any duck-billed platypus. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," argued Mister Shark rapidly. "I heard that this duck-billed platypus likes to crack iPads."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Shark, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountainside when we get a lot of duck-billed platypi cracking iPads?"

"I can't imagine," recited Miss Gazelle.

"What are we going to do about it?" peeped Mister Shark.

"Appoint a committee?" mentioned Miss Gazelle, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Shark had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," said Miss Gazelle calmly, 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 Shark deliberately. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," snorted Miss Gazelle shyly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the dishwasher on her front porch, looking out over the mountainside and flushing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Shark. Do come again."

"Just a minute," yawned Mister Shark deliberately. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Gazelle sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied breathlessly.