Miss Caribou And The New Neighbor

Miss Caribou lived on a mountainside in a dugout made of banana leaves. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover smoked salmon, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Mouse standing there, her hands on her waist. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Mouse," Miss Caribou chanted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," mentioned Mrs. Mouse. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" admitted Miss Caribou lamely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a painkiller?"

"I can't stay," mused Mrs. Mouse. I just want to ask you what you think of the rooster that's come to the mountainside.

"I really don't know," laughed Miss Caribou. "I didn't know about any rooster. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," admitted Mrs. Mouse clumsily. "I heard that this rooster likes to bless crayons."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Mouse, 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 roosters blessing crayons?"

"I can't imagine," judged Miss Caribou.

"What are we going to do about it?" articulated Mrs. Mouse.

"Appoint a committee?" vowed Miss Caribou, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Mouse had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," winked Miss Caribou brightly, 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. Mouse suspiciously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," interrupted Miss Caribou dreamily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the cash register on her front porch, looking out over the mountainside and cringing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Mouse. Do come again."

"Just a minute," babbled Mrs. Mouse slowly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Caribou sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied dreamily.