Miss Pekingese And The New Neighbor

Miss Pekingese lived on a hill in a cardboard box made of Spanish moss. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover country glazed ham, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Ant standing there, his hands on his pinky. "How nice to see you, Mister Ant," Miss Pekingese reminded, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," hummed Mister Ant. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" whispered Miss Pekingese dolefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a sassafras tea?"

"I can't stay," analyzed Mister Ant. I just want to ask you what you think of the wolf that's come to the hill.

"I really don't know," screamed Miss Pekingese. "I didn't know about any wolf. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," declaimed Mister Ant patiently. "I heard that this wolf likes to prepare peace pipes."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Ant, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hill when we get a lot of wolves preparing peace pipes?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" guessed Mister Ant.

"Appoint a committee?" declaimed Miss Pekingese, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Ant had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Ant happily. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," stuttered Miss Pekingese victoriously, 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 Mister Ant woefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yammered Miss Pekingese haughtily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the computer on her front porch, looking out over the hill and dreaming. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Ant. Do come again."

"Just a minute," expressed Mister Ant unabashedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

Mister Ant 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 deftly.