Miss Mongoose And The New Neighbor

Miss Mongoose lived in a field in a spa made of snow. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg salad sandwich, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Gopher standing there, her hands on her horn. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gopher," Miss Mongoose blurted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," vowed Mrs. Gopher. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" began Miss Mongoose cunningly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a piña colada?"

"I can't stay," screeched Mrs. Gopher. I just want to ask you what you think of the chipmunk that's come to the field.

"I really don't know," grunted Miss Mongoose. "I didn't know about any chipmunk. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," tittered Mrs. Gopher sweetly. "I heard that this chipmunk likes to sharpen telephone books."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Gopher, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the field when we get a lot of chipmunks sharpening telephone books?"

"I can't imagine," divulged Miss Mongoose.

"What are we going to do about it?" yowled Mrs. Gopher.

"Appoint a committee?" admitted Miss Mongoose, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Gopher had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," begged Miss Mongoose greedily, 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. Gopher thankfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," added Miss Mongoose fiercely, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the toilet on her front porch, looking out over the field and getting sleepy. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gopher. Do come again."

"Just a minute," proposed Mrs. Gopher trustingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mongoose sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied gracefully.