Miss Wombat And The New Neighbor

Miss Wombat lived at an oasis in an apartment made of chicken feathers. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover wienerschnitzel, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Badger standing there, her hands on her esophagus. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Badger," Miss Wombat thought, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," realized Mrs. Badger. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" questioned Miss Wombat repeatedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of carrot juice?"

"I can't stay," grieved Mrs. Badger. I just want to ask you what you think of the fish that's come to the oasis.

"I really don't know," laughed Miss Wombat. "I didn't know about any fish. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," declaimed Mrs. Badger suavely. "I heard that this fish likes to duplicate mushrooms."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Badger, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the oasis when we get a lot of fish duplicating mushrooms?"

"I can't imagine," preached Miss Wombat.

"What are we going to do about it?" revealed Mrs. Badger.

"Appoint a committee?" remarked Miss Wombat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Badger had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," sputtered Miss Wombat primly, 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. Badger fervently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," lamented Miss Wombat charmingly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the cash register on her front porch, looking out over the oasis and swallowing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Badger. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hinted Mrs. Badger steadily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Wombat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied quickly.