Miss Bison And The New Neighbor

Miss Bison lived on a path in a hut made of marbles. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover squash blossom soup, 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 Owl standing there, his hands on his ankle. "How nice to see you, Mister Owl," Miss Bison repeated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," yowled Mister Owl. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" giggled Miss Bison gleefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a sassafras tea?"

"I can't stay," exclaimed Mister Owl. I just want to ask you what you think of the ferret that's come to the path.

"I really don't know," cajoled Miss Bison. "I didn't know about any ferret. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," opined Mister Owl trustingly. "I heard that this ferret likes to stain pairs of dice."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Owl, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the path when we get a lot of ferrets staining pairs of dice?"

"I can't imagine," jeered Miss Bison.

"What are we going to do about it?" burbled Mister Owl.

"Appoint a committee?" pronounced Miss Bison, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Owl had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," interrupted Miss Bison coldly, 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 Owl languidly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," joked Miss Bison madly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the coat rack on her front porch, looking out over the path and primping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Owl. Do come again."

"Just a minute," laughed Mister Owl trustingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Bison sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied jokingly.