Miss Seal And The New Neighbor

Miss Seal lived in a backyard in a cardboard box made of fur. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover sushi, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" urged Miss Seal surreptitiously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of grape juice?"

"I can't stay," yowled Mrs. Siamese cat. I just want to ask you what you think of the snipe that's come to the backyard.

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

"Well don't be so sure," cackled Mrs. Siamese cat excitedly. "I heard that this snipe likes to dye bullets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Siamese cat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the backyard when we get a lot of snipes dyeing bullets?"

"I can't imagine," observed Miss Seal.

"What are we going to do about it?" howled Mrs. Siamese cat.

"Appoint a committee?" phrased Miss Seal, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Siamese cat had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Siamese cat hopefully. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," smirked Miss Seal ruefully, 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. Siamese cat cunningly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," squeaked Miss Seal gingerly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the cupboard on her front porch, looking out over the backyard and pondering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Siamese cat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," scoffed Mrs. Siamese cat gratefully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Seal sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied lamely.