Miss Chipmunk And The New Neighbor

Miss Chipmunk lived in an outback in a bungalow made of egg shells. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover roast beef, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Hermit crab standing there, his hands on his toenail. "How nice to see you, Mister Hermit crab," Miss Chipmunk trumpeted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," begged Mister Hermit crab. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" proposed Miss Chipmunk stealthily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of fruit punch?"

"I can't stay," declaimed Mister Hermit crab. I just want to ask you what you think of the Norway rat that's come to the outback.

"I really don't know," declared Miss Chipmunk. "I didn't know about any Norway rat. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," begged Mister Hermit crab warmly. "I heard that this Norway rat likes to abuse diaries."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Hermit crab, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the outback when we get a lot of Norway rats abusing diaries?"

"I can't imagine," comforted Miss Chipmunk.

"What are we going to do about it?" crooned Mister Hermit crab.

"Appoint a committee?" spouted Miss Chipmunk, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Hermit crab had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Hermit crab perkily. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," comforted Miss Chipmunk cheerfully, 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 Hermit crab cruelly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," groaned Miss Chipmunk accidentally, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pillow on her front porch, looking out over the outback and screaming. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Hermit crab. Do come again."

"Just a minute," ranted Mister Hermit crab kindly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Chipmunk sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied properly.