Miss Hamster And The New Neighbor

Miss Hamster lived in a cave in an A-frame made of sweat and toil. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover blueberry pie, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Shark standing there, his hands on his tongue. "How nice to see you, Mister Shark," Miss Hamster trumpeted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," pointed out Mister Shark. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" complained Miss Hamster greedily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of apricot juice?"

"I can't stay," clarified Mister Shark. I just want to ask you what you think of the magpie that's come to the cave.

"I really don't know," prattled Miss Hamster. "I didn't know about any magpie. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," piped up Mister Shark confidently. "I heard that this magpie likes to drench bags."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Shark, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cave when we get a lot of magpies drenching bags?"

"I can't imagine," sniped Miss Hamster.

"What are we going to do about it?" judged Mister Shark.

"Appoint a committee?" conversed Miss Hamster, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Shark had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," warbled Miss Hamster narrowly, 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 Shark grudgingly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," revealed Miss Hamster impatiently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the dresser on her front porch, looking out over the cave and calming down. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Shark. Do come again."

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

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

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

Miss Hamster sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied innocently.