Miss Chihuahua And The New Neighbor

Miss Chihuahua lived on a mountainside in a quonset hut made of deer hide. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cabbage rolls, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" stated Miss Chihuahua uneasily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a gin sour?"

"I can't stay," ranted Mister Prairie dog. I just want to ask you what you think of the rhinoceros that's come to the mountainside.

"I really don't know," acknowledged Miss Chihuahua. "I didn't know about any rhinoceros. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," winked Mister Prairie dog noisily. "I heard that this rhinoceros likes to melt hats."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Prairie dog, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountainside when we get a lot of rhinoceroses melting hats?"

"I can't imagine," sniped Miss Chihuahua.

"What are we going to do about it?" chanted Mister Prairie dog.

"Appoint a committee?" smirked Miss Chihuahua, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Prairie dog had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Prairie dog despondently. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," sniveled Miss Chihuahua sympathetically, 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 Prairie dog lightly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," blurted Miss Chihuahua firmly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bed on her front porch, looking out over the mountainside and sniffling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Prairie dog. Do come again."

"Just a minute," declared Mister Prairie dog truculently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Chihuahua sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied boldly.