Miss Ant And The New Neighbor

Miss Ant lived in a circus tent in a tent made of seaweed. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover scrambled eggs, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Meerkat standing there, her hands on her finger. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Meerkat," Miss Ant proposed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," blathered Mrs. Meerkat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" blathered Miss Ant pityingly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of apricot juice?"

"I can't stay," barked Mrs. Meerkat. I just want to ask you what you think of the goldfish that's come to the circus tent.

"I really don't know," vouched Miss Ant. "I didn't know about any goldfish. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," whispered Mrs. Meerkat clumsily. "I heard that this goldfish likes to catch sponges."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Meerkat, 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 goldfish catching sponges?"

"I can't imagine," fantasized Miss Ant.

"What are we going to do about it?" raved Mrs. Meerkat.

"Appoint a committee?" taunted Miss Ant, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Meerkat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," urged Miss Ant dubiously, 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. Meerkat glumly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," fantasized Miss Ant hungrily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the buffet on her front porch, looking out over the circus tent and howling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Meerkat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," murmured Mrs. Meerkat doubtfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Ant sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied crankily.