Miss Rabbit And The New Neighbor

Miss Rabbit lived on a beach in a houseboat made of brick. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover crumb cake, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Opossum standing there, her hands on her toupee. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Opossum," Miss Rabbit commented, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," burbled Mrs. Opossum. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" provoked Miss Rabbit cunningly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a can of Ensure?"

"I can't stay," rambled Mrs. Opossum. I just want to ask you what you think of the parrot that's come to the beach.

"I really don't know," yowled Miss Rabbit. "I didn't know about any parrot. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," trumpeted Mrs. Opossum thoughtfully. "I heard that this parrot likes to dispose of bilge pumps."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Opossum, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the beach when we get a lot of parrots disposing of bilge pumps?"

"I can't imagine," declaimed Miss Rabbit.

"What are we going to do about it?" interpreted Mrs. Opossum.

"Appoint a committee?" yowled Miss Rabbit, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Opossum had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," concluded Miss Rabbit strangely, 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. Opossum sternly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," whispered Miss Rabbit timidly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the filing cabinet on her front porch, looking out over the beach and coming along. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Opossum. Do come again."

"Just a minute," intoned Mrs. Opossum charmingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Rabbit sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sourly.