Miss Raccoon And The New Neighbor

Miss Raccoon lived on a moonscape in a wigwam made of cornstalks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover crumb cake, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Zebra standing there, his hands on his ankle. "How nice to see you, Mister Zebra," Miss Raccoon quavered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," yelled Mister Zebra. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" nattered Miss Raccoon greedily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of water?"

"I can't stay," contended Mister Zebra. I just want to ask you what you think of the beagle that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," grieved Miss Raccoon. "I didn't know about any beagle. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," revealed Mister Zebra calmly. "I heard that this beagle likes to decontaminate bird cages."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Zebra, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the moonscape when we get a lot of beagles decontaminating bird cages?"

"I can't imagine," cackled Miss Raccoon.

"What are we going to do about it?" accused Mister Zebra.

"Appoint a committee?" expressed Miss Raccoon, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Zebra had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," belched Miss Raccoon sweetly, 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 Zebra slyly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," begged Miss Raccoon proudly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the chest of drawers on her front porch, looking out over the moonscape and twitching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Zebra. Do come again."

"Just a minute," alleged Mister Zebra miserably. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Raccoon sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sagely.