Miss Kitten And The New Neighbor

Miss Kitten lived on a tundra in a retreat made of peat moss. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover wienerschnitzel, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" repeated Miss Kitten swiftly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cambric tea?"

"I can't stay," opined Mister Butterfly. I just want to ask you what you think of the fox that's come to the tundra.

"I really don't know," barked Miss Kitten. "I didn't know about any fox. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," joked Mister Butterfly valiantly. "I heard that this fox likes to wax stamps."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Butterfly, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the tundra when we get a lot of foxes waxing stamps?"

"I can't imagine," crooned Miss Kitten.

"What are we going to do about it?" gabbed Mister Butterfly.

"Appoint a committee?" mused Miss Kitten, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Butterfly had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," blathered Miss Kitten timidly, 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 Butterfly proudly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," provoked Miss Kitten diligently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the dresser on her front porch, looking out over the tundra and itching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Butterfly. Do come again."

"Just a minute," proposed Mister Butterfly busily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Kitten sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied bravely.