Miss Lamb And The New Neighbor

Miss Lamb lived beside a creek in a wigwam made of sand. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover mulligan stew, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Dragon standing there, her hands on her neck. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dragon," Miss Lamb bawled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," breathed Mrs. Dragon. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" scoffed Miss Lamb suavely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an Irish Coffee?"

"I can't stay," complained Mrs. Dragon. I just want to ask you what you think of the elephant that's come to the creek.

"I really don't know," indicated Miss Lamb. "I didn't know about any elephant. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," fumed Mrs. Dragon tensely. "I heard that this elephant likes to whirl books."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dragon, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the creek when we get a lot of elephants whirling books?"

"I can't imagine," avowed Miss Lamb.

"What are we going to do about it?" pointed out Mrs. Dragon.

"Appoint a committee?" imitated Miss Lamb, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dragon had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," concluded Miss Lamb slowly, 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. Dragon warmly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," inquired Miss Lamb briskly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the cupboard on her front porch, looking out over the creek and swooning. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dragon. Do come again."

"Just a minute," retorted Mrs. Dragon testily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Lamb sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied wildly.