Miss Donkey And The New Neighbor

Miss Donkey lived in a country meadow in an igloo made of pipe. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover shrimp, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Hippopotamus standing there, her hands on her chest. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Hippopotamus," Miss Donkey scoffed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," exclaimed Mrs. Hippopotamus. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" screamed Miss Donkey reluctantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an old fashioned?"

"I can't stay," rebutted Mrs. Hippopotamus. I just want to ask you what you think of the chameleon that's come to the country meadow.

"I really don't know," begged Miss Donkey. "I didn't know about any chameleon. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," panted Mrs. Hippopotamus fearlessly. "I heard that this chameleon likes to wax spittoons."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Hippopotamus, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the country meadow when we get a lot of chameleons waxing spittoons?"

"I can't imagine," hissed Miss Donkey.

"What are we going to do about it?" divulged Mrs. Hippopotamus.

"Appoint a committee?" bellowed Miss Donkey, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Hippopotamus had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," began Miss Donkey perkily, 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. Hippopotamus angrily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," burbled Miss Donkey steadily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the counter on her front porch, looking out over the country meadow and hollering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Hippopotamus. Do come again."

"Just a minute," intoned Mrs. Hippopotamus timidly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Donkey sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied warily.