Miss Dingo And The New Neighbor

Miss Dingo lived in a jungle in a villa made of tiles. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fried eggs, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Weasel standing there, his hands on his pride. "How nice to see you, Mister Weasel," Miss Dingo opined, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," shuddered Mister Weasel. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" warbled Miss Dingo innocently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a chocolate milk?"

"I can't stay," hinted Mister Weasel. I just want to ask you what you think of the gila monster that's come to the jungle.

"I really don't know," recited Miss Dingo. "I didn't know about any gila monster. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," responded Mister Weasel happily. "I heard that this gila monster likes to reject coat check tickets."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Weasel, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the jungle when we get a lot of gila monsters rejecting coat check tickets?"

"I can't imagine," trumpeted Miss Dingo.

"What are we going to do about it?" implored Mister Weasel.

"Appoint a committee?" spewed Miss Dingo, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Weasel had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Weasel blankly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," stated Miss Dingo properly, 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 Mister Weasel cruelly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," reasoned Miss Dingo tenderly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the catbird seat on her front porch, looking out over the jungle and exhaling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Weasel. Do come again."

"Just a minute," avowed Mister Weasel ignobly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Miss Dingo 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 Mrs. Weasel doing these days?"

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

Miss Dingo sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied happily.