Miss Cat And The New Neighbor

Miss Cat lived in a circus tent in a housing project made of straw. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover hot dogs, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Anaconda standing there, her hands on her leg. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Anaconda," Miss Cat quavered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," alleged Mrs. Anaconda. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" nattered Miss Cat daintily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a martini?"

"I can't stay," prattled Mrs. Anaconda. I just want to ask you what you think of the goblin that's come to the circus tent.

"I really don't know," lectured Miss Cat. "I didn't know about any goblin. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," blathered Mrs. Anaconda blissfully. "I heard that this goblin likes to rock pieces of chalk."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Anaconda, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the circus tent when we get a lot of goblins rocking pieces of chalk?"

"I can't imagine," instructed Miss Cat.

"What are we going to do about it?" guessed Mrs. Anaconda.

"Appoint a committee?" continued Miss Cat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Anaconda had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," screamed Miss Cat unexpectedly, 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. Anaconda patiently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," said Miss Cat tenderly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the stairway on her front porch, looking out over the circus tent and dressing up. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Anaconda. Do come again."

"Just a minute," exploded Mrs. Anaconda vigorously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Cat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied diligently.