Miss Beaver And The New Neighbor

Miss Beaver lived in a marsh in a duplex made of precious gems. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover crumb cake, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Goblin standing there, his hands on his buttocks. "How nice to see you, Mister Goblin," Miss Beaver hinted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," squawked Mister Goblin. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" barked Miss Beaver strictly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an old fashioned?"

"I can't stay," asked Mister Goblin. I just want to ask you what you think of the unicorn that's come to the marsh.

"I really don't know," argued Miss Beaver. "I didn't know about any unicorn. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," commented Mister Goblin hopefully. "I heard that this unicorn likes to engrave arrowheads."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Goblin, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the marsh when we get a lot of unicorns engraving arrowheads?"

"I can't imagine," affirmed Miss Beaver.

"What are we going to do about it?" appealed Mister Goblin.

"Appoint a committee?" decided Miss Beaver, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Goblin had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," agreed Miss Beaver oddly, 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 Goblin rapidly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," blathered Miss Beaver temperamentally, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the buffet on her front porch, looking out over the marsh and blinking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Goblin. Do come again."

"Just a minute," gasped Mister Goblin later. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Beaver sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied grandly.