Miss Cow And The New Neighbor

Miss Cow lived in a village in a log cabin made of fiber. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lamb curry, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Bear standing there, his hands on his tooth. "How nice to see you, Mister Bear," Miss Cow uttered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," appealed Mister Bear. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yowled Miss Cow cruelly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Bacardi?"

"I can't stay," debated Mister Bear. I just want to ask you what you think of the mare that's come to the village.

"I really don't know," queried Miss Cow. "I didn't know about any mare. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," expressed Mister Bear shakily. "I heard that this mare likes to ridicule horseshoes."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Bear, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the village when we get a lot of mares ridiculing horseshoes?"

"I can't imagine," clarified Miss Cow.

"What are we going to do about it?" mumbled Mister Bear.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," protested Miss Cow unabashedly, 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 Bear mysteriously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," purred Miss Cow humbly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the ottoman on her front porch, looking out over the village and breathing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Bear. Do come again."

"Just a minute," agreed Mister Bear viciously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Cow sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied vigorously.