Miss Hedgehog And The New Neighbor

Miss Hedgehog lived in a briar patch in a church made of stucco. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover French fries, 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 Lion standing there, his hands on his esophagus. "How nice to see you, Mister Lion," Miss Hedgehog acknowledged, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," reasoned Mister Lion. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" lectured Miss Hedgehog hungrily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of rum?"

"I can't stay," bragged Mister Lion. I just want to ask you what you think of the penguin that's come to the briar patch.

"I really don't know," purred Miss Hedgehog. "I didn't know about any penguin. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," retorted Mister Lion clumsily. "I heard that this penguin likes to bury yo-yos."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Lion, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the briar patch when we get a lot of penguins burying yo-yos?"

"I can't imagine," reacted Miss Hedgehog.

"What are we going to do about it?" piped up Mister Lion.

"Appoint a committee?" explained Miss Hedgehog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Lion had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," mentioned Miss Hedgehog boisterously, 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 Lion craftily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," repeated Miss Hedgehog cunningly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the settee on her front porch, looking out over the briar patch and typing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Lion. Do come again."

"Just a minute," screeched Mister Lion steadily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Hedgehog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied valiantly.