Miss Baboon And The New Neighbor

Miss Baboon lived on a wasteland in a log cabin made of styrofoam. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pecan pie, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Hornet standing there, her hands on her elbow. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Hornet," Miss Baboon phrased, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," urged Mrs. Hornet. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" blurted Miss Baboon lazily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cappuccino?"

"I can't stay," quoted Mrs. Hornet. I just want to ask you what you think of the rabbit that's come to the wasteland.

"I really don't know," sneered Miss Baboon. "I didn't know about any rabbit. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," burbled Mrs. Hornet cautiously. "I heard that this rabbit likes to pick saws."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Hornet, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the wasteland when we get a lot of rabbits picking saws?"

"I can't imagine," sniveled Miss Baboon.

"What are we going to do about it?" fretted Mrs. Hornet.

"Appoint a committee?" growled Miss Baboon, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Hornet had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," comforted Miss Baboon hastily, 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. Hornet roughly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yawned Miss Baboon peevishly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the mattress on her front porch, looking out over the wasteland and flinching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Hornet. Do come again."

"Just a minute," purred Mrs. Hornet coldly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Baboon sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied mysteriously.