Miss Pekingese And The New Neighbor

Miss Pekingese lived at an oasis in a flat made of porcelain. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover prune pudding, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Chameleon standing there, her hands on her nostril. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Chameleon," Miss Pekingese whined, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," sniveled Mrs. Chameleon. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" fretted Miss Pekingese cleverly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot chocolate?"

"I can't stay," implored Mrs. Chameleon. I just want to ask you what you think of the musk-ox that's come to the oasis.

"I really don't know," mumbled Miss Pekingese. "I didn't know about any musk-ox. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," argued Mrs. Chameleon hopelessly. "I heard that this musk-ox likes to pack lemons."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Chameleon, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the oasis when we get a lot of musk-oxen packing lemons?"

"I can't imagine," chanted Miss Pekingese.

"What are we going to do about it?" snarled Mrs. Chameleon.

"Appoint a committee?" blathered Miss Pekingese, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Chameleon had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," cajoled Miss Pekingese woodenly, 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. Chameleon recklessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," queried Miss Pekingese viciously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the couch on her front porch, looking out over the oasis and sniffling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Chameleon. Do come again."

"Just a minute," warbled Mrs. Chameleon intensely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Pekingese sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied uselessly.