Miss Canary And The New Neighbor

Miss Canary lived in a valley in a trough made of cork. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover crumb cake, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Beagle standing there, his hands on his hangnail. "How nice to see you, Mister Beagle," Miss Canary snorted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," roared Mister Beagle. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" intimated Miss Canary courageously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot buttered rum?"

"I can't stay," inquired Mister Beagle. I just want to ask you what you think of the gila monster that's come to the valley.

"I really don't know," guessed Miss Canary. "I didn't know about any gila monster. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," thought Mister Beagle tenderly. "I heard that this gila monster likes to soak balls."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Beagle, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the valley when we get a lot of gila monsters soaking balls?"

"I can't imagine," spewed Miss Canary.

"What are we going to do about it?" prattled Mister Beagle.

"Appoint a committee?" howled Miss Canary, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Beagle had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," sniffed Miss Canary unexpectedly, 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 Beagle wildly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," muttered Miss Canary blankly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bunk bed on her front porch, looking out over the valley and chewing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Beagle. Do come again."

"Just a minute," quoted Mister Beagle confidently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Canary sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied openly.