Miss Dalmatian And The New Neighbor

Miss Dalmatian lived on a beach in a wigwam made of slime. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover roast turkey, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Basset hound standing there, his hands on his wrist. "How nice to see you, Mister Basset hound," Miss Dalmatian emphasized, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," blurted Mister Basset hound. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" invited Miss Dalmatian grudgingly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Moscow mule?"

"I can't stay," burbled Mister Basset hound. I just want to ask you what you think of the sasquatch that's come to the beach.

"I really don't know," reacted Miss Dalmatian. "I didn't know about any sasquatch. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," jeered Mister Basset hound primly. "I heard that this sasquatch likes to bless decks of cards."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Basset hound, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the beach when we get a lot of sasquatches blessing decks of cards?"

"I can't imagine," belched Miss Dalmatian.

"What are we going to do about it?" contended Mister Basset hound.

"Appoint a committee?" blurted Miss Dalmatian, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Basset hound had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Basset hound fervently. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," panted Miss Dalmatian fearfully, 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 Basset hound stupidly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," raved Miss Dalmatian blissfully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the workbench on her front porch, looking out over the beach and dilly-dallying. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Basset hound. Do come again."

"Just a minute," instructed Mister Basset hound accidentally. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dalmatian sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied strictly.