Miss Crocodile And The New Neighbor

Miss Crocodile lived in an arroyo in a castle made of bark. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pecan pie, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Coyote standing there, his hands on his pinky. "How nice to see you, Mister Coyote," Miss Crocodile yelped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," stuttered Mister Coyote. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" repeated Miss Crocodile immediately, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of water?"

"I can't stay," taunted Mister Coyote. I just want to ask you what you think of the eel that's come to the arroyo.

"I really don't know," acknowledged Miss Crocodile. "I didn't know about any eel. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," expressed Mister Coyote doubtfully. "I heard that this eel likes to lose buttons."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Coyote, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the arroyo when we get a lot of eels losing buttons?"

"I can't imagine," vowed Miss Crocodile.

"What are we going to do about it?" gabbed Mister Coyote.

"Appoint a committee?" groaned Miss Crocodile, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Coyote had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," stuttered Miss Crocodile daintily, 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 Coyote brashly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," accused Miss Crocodile woefully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the water bed on her front porch, looking out over the arroyo and wiggling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Coyote. Do come again."

"Just a minute," requested Mister Coyote frenetically. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Crocodile sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied arrogantly.