Miss Sheep And The New Neighbor

Miss Sheep lived in a housing development in a quonset hut made of wicker. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover scrambled eggs, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Phantom standing there, his hands on his eyelash. "How nice to see you, Mister Phantom," Miss Sheep accused, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," snarled Mister Phantom. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" admitted Miss Sheep unexpectedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of Gatorade?"

"I can't stay," whimpered Mister Phantom. I just want to ask you what you think of the rattlesnake that's come to the housing development.

"I really don't know," quoted Miss Sheep. "I didn't know about any rattlesnake. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," exploded Mister Phantom confidently. "I heard that this rattlesnake likes to stack cupcakes."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Phantom, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the housing development when we get a lot of rattlesnakes stacking cupcakes?"

"I can't imagine," hollered Miss Sheep.

"What are we going to do about it?" whispered Mister Phantom.

"Appoint a committee?" analyzed Miss Sheep, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Phantom had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," appealed Miss Sheep violently, 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 Phantom offhandedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," piped up Miss Sheep woefully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the wine rack on her front porch, looking out over the housing development and breathing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Phantom. Do come again."

"Just a minute," wailed Mister Phantom sympathetically. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Sheep sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied boisterously.