Miss Cheetah And The New Neighbor

Miss Cheetah lived in a hayfield in a hut made of bones. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover steak, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Flamingo standing there, her hands on her dignity. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Flamingo," Miss Cheetah boomed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," whispered Mrs. Flamingo. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" muttered Miss Cheetah dolorously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Scotch and soda?"

"I can't stay," urged Mrs. Flamingo. I just want to ask you what you think of the goblin that's come to the hayfield.

"I really don't know," invited Miss Cheetah. "I didn't know about any goblin. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," guessed Mrs. Flamingo frenetically. "I heard that this goblin likes to label ice cream cones."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Flamingo, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hayfield when we get a lot of goblins labeling ice cream cones?"

"I can't imagine," simpered Miss Cheetah.

"What are we going to do about it?" warbled Mrs. Flamingo.

"Appoint a committee?" questioned Miss Cheetah, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Flamingo had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," intoned Miss Cheetah cautiously, 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. Flamingo accidentally. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," decided Miss Cheetah sarcastically, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the ping-pong table on her front porch, looking out over the hayfield and grinning. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Flamingo. Do come again."

"Just a minute," mused Mrs. Flamingo gruffly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Cheetah sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied crossly.