Miss Chipmunk And The New Neighbor

Miss Chipmunk lived on a hill in a park bench made of satin. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Swiss cheese, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Cougar standing there, her hands on her horn. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Cougar," Miss Chipmunk harangued, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," chimed Mrs. Cougar. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" proposed Miss Chipmunk swiftly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mai Tai?"

"I can't stay," smirked Mrs. Cougar. I just want to ask you what you think of the computer that's come to the hill.

"I really don't know," noted Miss Chipmunk. "I didn't know about any computer. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sniveled Mrs. Cougar pitifully. "I heard that this computer likes to pummel spittoons."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Cougar, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hill when we get a lot of computers pummeling spittoons?"

"I can't imagine," expressed Miss Chipmunk.

"What are we going to do about it?" revealed Mrs. Cougar.

"Appoint a committee?" burbled Miss Chipmunk, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Cougar had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," stammered Miss Chipmunk neatly, 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. Cougar majestically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," barked Miss Chipmunk sweetly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bar stool on her front porch, looking out over the hill and waking up. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Cougar. Do come again."

"Just a minute," intimated Mrs. Cougar gleefully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Chipmunk sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied impatiently.