Miss Mouse And The New Neighbor

Miss Mouse lived on a butte in a hotel made of Kevlar. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pretzels, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Polecat standing there, her hands on her kneecap. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Polecat," Miss Mouse sniffed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," bellowed Mrs. Polecat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" preached Miss Mouse haughtily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Harvey Wallbanger?"

"I can't stay," begged Mrs. Polecat. I just want to ask you what you think of the gnu that's come to the butte.

"I really don't know," blubbered Miss Mouse. "I didn't know about any gnu. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," growled Mrs. Polecat crankily. "I heard that this gnu likes to freeze air compressors."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Polecat, 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 gnus freezing air compressors?"

"I can't imagine," smiled Miss Mouse.

"What are we going to do about it?" yelled Mrs. Polecat.

"Appoint a committee?" articulated Miss Mouse, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Polecat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," yowled Miss Mouse hastily, 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. Polecat smoothly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," mouthed Miss Mouse noisily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bookshelf on her front porch, looking out over the butte and chewing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Polecat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," murmured Mrs. Polecat victoriously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mouse sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied brashly.