Miss Mongoose And The New Neighbor

Miss Mongoose lived in a gully in a box made of enamel. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover tacos, 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 Mrs. Hamster standing there, her hands on her thumb. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Hamster," Miss Mongoose professed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," warbled Mrs. Hamster. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" rambled Miss Mongoose dolefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of espresso?"

"I can't stay," insisted Mrs. Hamster. I just want to ask you what you think of the donkey that's come to the gully.

"I really don't know," interpreted Miss Mongoose. "I didn't know about any donkey. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," analyzed Mrs. Hamster courteously. "I heard that this donkey likes to bake salt shakers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Hamster, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gully when we get a lot of donkeys baking salt shakers?"

"I can't imagine," purred Miss Mongoose.

"What are we going to do about it?" lamented Mrs. Hamster.

"Appoint a committee?" rationalized Miss Mongoose, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Hamster had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Hamster irritably. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," asked Miss Mongoose tenderly, 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. Hamster suddenly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," piped up Miss Mongoose humbly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the rocking chair on her front porch, looking out over the gully and lying around in bed. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Hamster. Do come again."

"Just a minute," raved Mrs. Hamster menacingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mongoose sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied peevishly.