Miss Hedgehog And The New Neighbor

Miss Hedgehog lived in a gulch in a spa made of oil and water. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cabbage, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Pheasant standing there, his hands on his arm. "How nice to see you, Mister Pheasant," Miss Hedgehog tittered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," invited Mister Pheasant. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" grunted Miss Hedgehog sourly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a margarita?"

"I can't stay," analyzed Mister Pheasant. I just want to ask you what you think of the fawn that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," intoned Miss Hedgehog. "I didn't know about any fawn. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," crooned Mister Pheasant frenetically. "I heard that this fawn likes to freeze trash cans."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Pheasant, 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 fawns freezing trash cans?"

"I can't imagine," implored Miss Hedgehog.

"What are we going to do about it?" mentioned Mister Pheasant.

"Appoint a committee?" answered Miss Hedgehog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Pheasant had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," piped up Miss Hedgehog craftily, 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 Pheasant courageously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," divulged Miss Hedgehog brashly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the china hutch on her front porch, looking out over the gulch and whistling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Pheasant. Do come again."

"Just a minute," mused Mister Pheasant stealthily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Hedgehog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied suspiciously.