Miss Rooster And The New Neighbor

Miss Rooster lived in a circus tent in a trailer made of titanium. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fondue, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Bat standing there, her hands on her hair. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Bat," Miss Rooster sighed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," yelled Mrs. Bat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" hinted Miss Rooster wryly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Pepto Bismol?"

"I can't stay," harangued Mrs. Bat. I just want to ask you what you think of the bullfrog that's come to the circus tent.

"I really don't know," uttered Miss Rooster. "I didn't know about any bullfrog. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," swore Mrs. Bat anxiously. "I heard that this bullfrog likes to stabilize bottles of painkillers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Bat, 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 bullfrogs stabilizing bottles of painkillers?"

"I can't imagine," breathed Miss Rooster.

"What are we going to do about it?" yelped Mrs. Bat.

"Appoint a committee?" judged Miss Rooster, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Bat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," chimed Miss Rooster effortlessly, 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. Bat intensely. "You always have such good ideas."

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

"Just a minute," squealed Mrs. Bat testily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Rooster sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sarcastically.