Miss Turtle And The New Neighbor

Miss Turtle lived in a pasture in a dugout made of Sheetrock. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cornbread, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Dolphin standing there, her hands on her arm. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dolphin," Miss Turtle spat, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," mumbled Mrs. Dolphin. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" debated Miss Turtle curiously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a shot of whiskey?"

"I can't stay," queried Mrs. Dolphin. I just want to ask you what you think of the dingo that's come to the pasture.

"I really don't know," panted Miss Turtle. "I didn't know about any dingo. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," roared Mrs. Dolphin lazily. "I heard that this dingo likes to demolish pipes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dolphin, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pasture when we get a lot of dingoes demolishing pipes?"

"I can't imagine," recited Miss Turtle.

"What are we going to do about it?" orated Mrs. Dolphin.

"Appoint a committee?" shrieked Miss Turtle, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dolphin had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," pointed out Miss Turtle truculently, 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. Dolphin bitterly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," whined Miss Turtle sleepily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the stairway on her front porch, looking out over the pasture and waking up. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dolphin. Do come again."

"Just a minute," fretted Mrs. Dolphin unexpectedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Turtle sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied joyously.