Miss Dingo And The New Neighbor

Miss Dingo lived in an outback in a resort made of epoxy. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pizza, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Shark standing there, his hands on his fingernail. "How nice to see you, Mister Shark," Miss Dingo howled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," thought Mister Shark. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" appealed Miss Dingo sleepily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of eggnog?"

"I can't stay," gabbed Mister Shark. I just want to ask you what you think of the eagle that's come to the outback.

"I really don't know," vowed Miss Dingo. "I didn't know about any eagle. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," declared Mister Shark patiently. "I heard that this eagle likes to choke cookbooks."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Shark, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the outback when we get a lot of eagles choking cookbooks?"

"I can't imagine," added Miss Dingo.

"What are we going to do about it?" sniffed Mister Shark.

"Appoint a committee?" wailed Miss Dingo, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Shark had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," lamented Miss Dingo cunningly, 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 Shark lovingly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," said Miss Dingo breathlessly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the stool on her front porch, looking out over the outback and running. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Shark. Do come again."

"Just a minute," remarked Mister Shark daringly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dingo sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied later.