Miss Weasel And The New Neighbor

Miss Weasel lived on a seacoast in a yurt made of toothpicks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover tuna casserole, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Ladybug standing there, his hands on his bladder. "How nice to see you, Mister Ladybug," Miss Weasel barked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," snarled Mister Ladybug. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" bawled Miss Weasel dolefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a piña colada?"

"I can't stay," rebutted Mister Ladybug. I just want to ask you what you think of the dromedary that's come to the seacoast.

"I really don't know," continued Miss Weasel. "I didn't know about any dromedary. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," vowed Mister Ladybug primly. "I heard that this dromedary likes to wax padlocks."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Ladybug, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seacoast when we get a lot of dromedaries waxing padlocks?"

"I can't imagine," added Miss Weasel.

"What are we going to do about it?" barked Mister Ladybug.

"Appoint a committee?" sputtered Miss Weasel, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Ladybug had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," acknowledged Miss Weasel pityingly, 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 Ladybug hopelessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," imitated Miss Weasel warily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the end table on her front porch, looking out over the seacoast and fretting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Ladybug. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sighed Mister Ladybug lovingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Weasel sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied warily.