Miss Yak And The New Neighbor

Miss Yak lived in a garden in a homeless shelter made of silver. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover enchiladas, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Horse standing there, his hands on his hangnail. "How nice to see you, Mister Horse," Miss Yak gabbed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," raved Mister Horse. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" screamed Miss Yak glumly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Coke?"

"I can't stay," crooned Mister Horse. I just want to ask you what you think of the jackal that's come to the garden.

"I really don't know," yawned Miss Yak. "I didn't know about any jackal. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," cackled Mister Horse warily. "I heard that this jackal likes to hack tubes of glue."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Horse, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the garden when we get a lot of jackals hacking tubes of glue?"

"I can't imagine," questioned Miss Yak.

"What are we going to do about it?" spoke up Mister Horse.

"Appoint a committee?" laughed Miss Yak, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Horse had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," purred Miss Yak nonchalantly, 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 Horse flightily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," trumpeted Miss Yak temperamentally, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the armoire on her front porch, looking out over the garden and jerking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Horse. Do come again."

"Just a minute," uttered Mister Horse blindly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Yak sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied ignobly.