Miss Monster And The New Neighbor

Miss Monster lived on an island in a castle made of granite. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover corn on the cob, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Cougar standing there, her hands on her intestine. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Cougar," Miss Monster muttered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," declaimed Mrs. Cougar. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" intoned Miss Monster brightly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a milkshake?"

"I can't stay," whispered Mrs. Cougar. I just want to ask you what you think of the manatee that's come to the island.

"I really don't know," chimed Miss Monster. "I didn't know about any manatee. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," judged Mrs. Cougar excitedly. "I heard that this manatee likes to archive sticks."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Cougar, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the island when we get a lot of manatees archiving sticks?"

"I can't imagine," contended Miss Monster.

"What are we going to do about it?" howled Mrs. Cougar.

"Appoint a committee?" growled Miss Monster, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Cougar had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," debated Miss Monster shyly, 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. Cougar steadily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," repeated Miss Monster lamely, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the cash register on her front porch, looking out over the island and watching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Cougar. Do come again."

"Just a minute," continued Mrs. Cougar lightly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Monster sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied suavely.