Miss Meerkat And The New Neighbor

Miss Meerkat lived in a circus tent in a loft made of pebbles. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover burritos, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Gerbil standing there, her hands on her lip. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gerbil," Miss Meerkat yowled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," began Mrs. Gerbil. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" shuddered Miss Meerkat narrowly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of Kool-Aid?"

"I can't stay," yowled Mrs. Gerbil. I just want to ask you what you think of the manatee that's come to the circus tent.

"I really don't know," orated Miss Meerkat. "I didn't know about any manatee. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," lectured Mrs. Gerbil suspiciously. "I heard that this manatee likes to refine screwdrivers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Gerbil, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the circus tent when we get a lot of manatees refining screwdrivers?"

"I can't imagine," proposed Miss Meerkat.

"What are we going to do about it?" voiced Mrs. Gerbil.

"Appoint a committee?" fretted Miss Meerkat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Gerbil had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," pointed out Miss Meerkat tensely, 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. Gerbil slowly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," argued Miss Meerkat grandly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bench on her front porch, looking out over the circus tent and coming to. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gerbil. Do come again."

"Just a minute," laughed Mrs. Gerbil shakily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Meerkat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied hysterically.