Miss Puma And The New Neighbor

Miss Puma lived in a meadow in a mansion made of toothpicks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lamb curry, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

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

"I can't stay," wept Mrs. Worm. I just want to ask you what you think of the cockroach that's come to the meadow.

"I really don't know," whispered Miss Puma. "I didn't know about any cockroach. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," chanted Mrs. Worm grimly. "I heard that this cockroach likes to rearrange paper towels."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Worm, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the meadow when we get a lot of cockroaches rearranging paper towels?"

"I can't imagine," growled Miss Puma.

"What are we going to do about it?" recited Mrs. Worm.

"Appoint a committee?" chortled Miss Puma, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Worm had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," realized Miss Puma 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. Worm clumsily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," begged Miss Puma ferociously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the cash register on her front porch, looking out over the meadow and laughing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Worm. Do come again."

"Just a minute," wondered Mrs. Worm frantically. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Puma sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied cleverly.