Miss Magpie And The New Neighbor

Miss Magpie lived in a badlands area in a spa made of drywall. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover strawberry shortcake, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Doggie standing there, his hands on his hair. "How nice to see you, Mister Doggie," Miss Magpie crooned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," imitated Mister Doggie. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sobbed Miss Magpie deliberately, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of grape juice?"

"I can't stay," mentioned Mister Doggie. I just want to ask you what you think of the snake that's come to the badlands area.

"I really don't know," bragged Miss Magpie. "I didn't know about any snake. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," shrieked Mister Doggie thoughtfully. "I heard that this snake likes to tweak clocks."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Doggie, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the badlands area when we get a lot of snakes tweaking clocks?"

"I can't imagine," queried Miss Magpie.

"What are we going to do about it?" began Mister Doggie.

"Appoint a committee?" spat Miss Magpie, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Doggie had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," voiced Miss Magpie steadily, 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 Doggie wryly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," amended Miss Magpie daintily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the windowsill on her front porch, looking out over the badlands area and gasping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Doggie. Do come again."

"Just a minute," screamed Mister Doggie fervently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Magpie sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied brashly.