Miss Mole And The New Neighbor

Miss Mole lived on a butte in a log cabin made of sod. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fried eggs, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Dinosaur standing there, her hands on her head. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dinosaur," Miss Mole chortled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," insisted Mrs. Dinosaur. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" exclaimed Miss Mole wearily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a kamikaze?"

"I can't stay," called Mrs. Dinosaur. I just want to ask you what you think of the goat that's come to the butte.

"I really don't know," mused Miss Mole. "I didn't know about any goat. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," boomed Mrs. Dinosaur automatically. "I heard that this goat likes to swipe coat hangers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dinosaur, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the butte when we get a lot of goats swiping coat hangers?"

"I can't imagine," warbled Miss Mole.

"What are we going to do about it?" hollered Mrs. Dinosaur.

"Appoint a committee?" gasped Miss Mole, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dinosaur had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," grieved Miss Mole fondly, 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. Dinosaur majestically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," reasoned Miss Mole crazily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pillow on her front porch, looking out over the butte and scribbling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dinosaur. Do come again."

"Just a minute," blathered Mrs. Dinosaur sheepishly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mole sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied dreamily.