Miss Alligator And The New Neighbor

Miss Alligator lived in a lagoon in a manor house made of chalk. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover hot dogs, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Manatee standing there, her hands on her brain. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Manatee," Miss Alligator divulged, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," fantasized Mrs. Manatee. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," snarled Mrs. Manatee. I just want to ask you what you think of the dragon that's come to the lagoon.

"I really don't know," divulged Miss Alligator. "I didn't know about any dragon. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," babbled Mrs. Manatee quietly. "I heard that this dragon likes to pierce plaques."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Manatee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the lagoon when we get a lot of dragons piercing plaques?"

"I can't imagine," indicated Miss Alligator.

"What are we going to do about it?" imitated Mrs. Manatee.

"Appoint a committee?" smiled Miss Alligator, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Manatee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," repeated Miss Alligator kindly, 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. Manatee stealthily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," gabbed Miss Alligator delicately, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the china hutch on her front porch, looking out over the lagoon and nodding. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Manatee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," added Mrs. Manatee lazily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Alligator sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied miserably.