Miss Seal And The New Neighbor

Miss Seal lived on a veld in a wikiup made of wood. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ham, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Badger standing there, her hands on her gall bladder. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Badger," Miss Seal vouched, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," shouted Mrs. Badger. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yelped Miss Seal sharply, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a piña colada?"

"I can't stay," croaked Mrs. Badger. I just want to ask you what you think of the squirrel that's come to the veld.

"I really don't know," asserted Miss Seal. "I didn't know about any squirrel. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," instructed Mrs. Badger angrily. "I heard that this squirrel likes to glue cans of beans."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Badger, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the veld when we get a lot of squirrels gluing cans of beans?"

"I can't imagine," thought Miss Seal.

"What are we going to do about it?" shuddered Mrs. Badger.

"Appoint a committee?" shuddered Miss Seal, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Badger had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," gabbed Miss Seal roughly, 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. Badger curiously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," quavered Miss Seal positively, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the chest of drawers on her front porch, looking out over the veld and curtseying. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Badger. Do come again."

"Just a minute," squealed Mrs. Badger coldly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Seal sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied primly.