Miss Fawn And The New Neighbor

Miss Fawn lived in a garden in a mobile home made of marbles. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cookies, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Manticore standing there, her hands on her little finger. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Manticore," Miss Fawn remarked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," drawled Mrs. Manticore. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" added Miss Fawn grimly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot chocolate?"

"I can't stay," demanded Mrs. Manticore. I just want to ask you what you think of the phantom that's come to the garden.

"I really don't know," questioned Miss Fawn. "I didn't know about any phantom. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," hissed Mrs. Manticore coldly. "I heard that this phantom likes to puncture balls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Manticore, 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 phantoms puncturing balls?"

"I can't imagine," revealed Miss Fawn.

"What are we going to do about it?" exclaimed Mrs. Manticore.

"Appoint a committee?" sniffed Miss Fawn, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Manticore had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," noted Miss Fawn ruefully, 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. Manticore steadily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," reacted Miss Fawn later, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the wooden crate on her front porch, looking out over the garden and wiggling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Manticore. Do come again."

"Just a minute," proposed Mrs. Manticore unnaturally. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Fawn sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sagely.