Miss Porcupine And The New Neighbor

Miss Porcupine lived on a plain in a Spanish colonial made of cellophane. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover shrimp, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Bumblebee standing there, her hands on her skull. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Bumblebee," Miss Porcupine added, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," griped Mrs. Bumblebee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" demanded Miss Porcupine innocently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Tom and Jerry?"

"I can't stay," added Mrs. Bumblebee. I just want to ask you what you think of the coyote that's come to the plain.

"I really don't know," comforted Miss Porcupine. "I didn't know about any coyote. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," cried Mrs. Bumblebee unexpectedly. "I heard that this coyote likes to categorize acorns."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Bumblebee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plain when we get a lot of coyotes categorizing acorns?"

"I can't imagine," squealed Miss Porcupine.

"What are we going to do about it?" commented Mrs. Bumblebee.

"Appoint a committee?" quoted Miss Porcupine, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Bumblebee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," growled Miss Porcupine arrogantly, 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. Bumblebee gruffly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," squealed Miss Porcupine suavely, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pillow on her front porch, looking out over the plain and sneezing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Bumblebee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," muttered Mrs. Bumblebee stupidly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Porcupine sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied crankily.