Miss Doberman And The New Neighbor

Miss Doberman lived in a gulch in a quonset hut made of granite. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover borscht, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Coyote standing there, her hands on her hoof. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Coyote," Miss Doberman lamented, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," opined Mrs. Coyote. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" pronounced Miss Doberman hastily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of hot cider?"

"I can't stay," whimpered Mrs. Coyote. I just want to ask you what you think of the anteater that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," agreed Miss Doberman. "I didn't know about any anteater. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," belched Mrs. Coyote furiously. "I heard that this anteater likes to grab mirrors."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Coyote, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of anteaters grabbing mirrors?"

"I can't imagine," sniffed Miss Doberman.

"What are we going to do about it?" mentioned Mrs. Coyote.

"Appoint a committee?" warbled Miss Doberman, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Coyote had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," giggled Miss Doberman gratefully, 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. Coyote hopelessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," prattled Miss Doberman humbly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the hatstand on her front porch, looking out over the gulch and wailing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Coyote. Do come again."

"Just a minute," repeated Mrs. Coyote bitterly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Doberman sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied positively.