Miss Dromedary And The New Neighbor

Miss Dromedary lived on a cliff in a box made of linen. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover smoked salmon, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Groundhog standing there, his hands on his waist. "How nice to see you, Mister Groundhog," Miss Dromedary stammered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," complained Mister Groundhog. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" pointed out Miss Dromedary softly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a tequila sunrise?"

"I can't stay," smiled Mister Groundhog. I just want to ask you what you think of the manatee that's come to the cliff.

"I really don't know," jeered Miss Dromedary. "I didn't know about any manatee. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," ranted Mister Groundhog joyously. "I heard that this manatee likes to pat bugles."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Groundhog, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cliff when we get a lot of manatees patting bugles?"

"I can't imagine," chimed Miss Dromedary.

"What are we going to do about it?" maintained Mister Groundhog.

"Appoint a committee?" stuttered Miss Dromedary, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Groundhog had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," bragged Miss Dromedary steadily, 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 Groundhog quickly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," asserted Miss Dromedary lovingly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bookcase on her front porch, looking out over the cliff and nodding. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Groundhog. Do come again."

"Just a minute," remarked Mister Groundhog sarcastically. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dromedary sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied vigorously.