Miss Dromedary And The New Neighbor

Miss Dromedary lived in a jungle in a house made of jewels. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pecan pie, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Mare standing there, her hands on her intestine. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Mare," Miss Dromedary responded, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," mused Mrs. Mare. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," quoted Mrs. Mare. I just want to ask you what you think of the mongoose that's come to the jungle.

"I really don't know," groaned Miss Dromedary. "I didn't know about any mongoose. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," admitted Mrs. Mare recklessly. "I heard that this mongoose likes to experience daisies."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Mare, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the jungle when we get a lot of mongeese experiencing daisies?"

"I can't imagine," grieved Miss Dromedary.

"What are we going to do about it?" spat Mrs. Mare.

"Appoint a committee?" declared Miss Dromedary, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Mare had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," yelled Miss Dromedary woodenly, 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. Mare strictly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," gasped Miss Dromedary carefully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the armoire on her front porch, looking out over the jungle and flinching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Mare. Do come again."

"Just a minute," called Mrs. Mare craftily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dromedary sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied craftily.