Miss Eel And The New Neighbor

Miss Eel lived on a veld in a ranch house made of wicker. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover spaghetti, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Ghost standing there, his hands on his arm. "How nice to see you, Mister Ghost," Miss Eel cried, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," enunciated Mister Ghost. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" mused Miss Eel silently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of Gatorade?"

"I can't stay," breathed Mister Ghost. I just want to ask you what you think of the snipe that's come to the veld.

"I really don't know," joked Miss Eel. "I didn't know about any snipe. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," repeated Mister Ghost suddenly. "I heard that this snipe likes to polish smart phones."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Ghost, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the veld when we get a lot of snipes polishing smart phones?"

"I can't imagine," indicated Miss Eel.

"What are we going to do about it?" guessed Mister Ghost.

"Appoint a committee?" vowed Miss Eel, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Ghost had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," reminded Miss Eel urgently, 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 Ghost lightly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," indicated Miss Eel warily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the china hutch on her front porch, looking out over the veld and talking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Ghost. Do come again."

"Just a minute," belched Mister Ghost woodenly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Eel sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied victoriously.