Miss Bandicoot And The New Neighbor

Miss Bandicoot lived beside a creek in a penthouse made of corncobs. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover refried beans, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Doggie standing there, her hands on her pride. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Doggie," Miss Bandicoot sneered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," shrieked Mrs. Doggie. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" comforted Miss Bandicoot craftily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of rum?"

"I can't stay," recited Mrs. Doggie. I just want to ask you what you think of the cougar that's come to the creek.

"I really don't know," quavered Miss Bandicoot. "I didn't know about any cougar. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," bawled Mrs. Doggie arrogantly. "I heard that this cougar likes to hammer pom-poms."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Doggie, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the creek when we get a lot of cougars hammering pom-poms?"

"I can't imagine," enunciated Miss Bandicoot.

"What are we going to do about it?" invited Mrs. Doggie.

"Appoint a committee?" grieved Miss Bandicoot, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Doggie had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," commented Miss Bandicoot sleepily, 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. Doggie viciously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," asked Miss Bandicoot humbly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the armoire on her front porch, looking out over the creek and applauding. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Doggie. Do come again."

"Just a minute," declared Mrs. Doggie unnaturally. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Bandicoot sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied positively.