Miss Eel And The New Neighbor

Miss Eel lived beside a creek in a cabin made of money. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover blueberry pie, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Reindeer standing there, her hands on her waist. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Reindeer," Miss Eel provoked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," analyzed Mrs. Reindeer. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" implored Miss Eel sleepily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of orange juice?"

"I can't stay," quavered Mrs. Reindeer. I just want to ask you what you think of the wolverine that's come to the creek.

"I really don't know," reacted Miss Eel. "I didn't know about any wolverine. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," phrased Mrs. Reindeer nimbly. "I heard that this wolverine likes to spin ingots of plutonium."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Reindeer, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the creek when we get a lot of wolverines spinning ingots of plutonium?"

"I can't imagine," insisted Miss Eel.

"What are we going to do about it?" began Mrs. Reindeer.

"Appoint a committee?" groveled Miss Eel, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Reindeer had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," accused Miss Eel curiously, 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. Reindeer elatedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yowled Miss Eel curiously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the credenza on her front porch, looking out over the creek and jerking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Reindeer. Do come again."

"Just a minute," debated Mrs. Reindeer delicately. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Eel sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied lamely.