Miss Lark And The New Neighbor

Miss Lark lived in a gulch in a park bench made of cedar. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg salad sandwich, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Magpie standing there, his hands on his knee. "How nice to see you, Mister Magpie," Miss Lark cajoled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," spouted Mister Magpie. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," said Mister Magpie. I just want to ask you what you think of the mule that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," fretted Miss Lark. "I didn't know about any mule. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," announced Mister Magpie dolefully. "I heard that this mule likes to roll cigarettes."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Magpie, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of mules rolling cigarettes?"

"I can't imagine," shouted Miss Lark.

"What are we going to do about it?" snarled Mister Magpie.

"Appoint a committee?" begged Miss Lark, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Magpie had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," squeaked Miss Lark strictly, 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 Magpie violently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," sniveled Miss Lark bitterly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the footstool on her front porch, looking out over the gulch and barking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Magpie. Do come again."

"Just a minute," squawked Mister Magpie unexpectedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Lark sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied pitifully.