Miss Chihuahua And The New Neighbor

Miss Chihuahua lived in an arroyo in a manor made of foil. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cotton candy, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Panther standing there, her hands on her thyroid gland. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Panther," Miss Chihuahua instructed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," amended Mrs. Panther. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" spouted Miss Chihuahua breathlessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of buttermilk?"

"I can't stay," griped Mrs. Panther. I just want to ask you what you think of the giraffe that's come to the arroyo.

"I really don't know," revealed Miss Chihuahua. "I didn't know about any giraffe. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," judged Mrs. Panther blankly. "I heard that this giraffe likes to pummel sticks of gum."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Panther, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the arroyo when we get a lot of giraffes pummeling sticks of gum?"

"I can't imagine," scoffed Miss Chihuahua.

"What are we going to do about it?" murmured Mrs. Panther.

"Appoint a committee?" maintained Miss Chihuahua, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Panther had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," sighed Miss Chihuahua dubiously, 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. Panther queerly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," shouted Miss Chihuahua vacantly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the TV on her front porch, looking out over the arroyo and chortling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Panther. Do come again."

"Just a minute," chanted Mrs. Panther calmly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Chihuahua sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied blankly.