Miss Tapeworm And The New Neighbor

Miss Tapeworm lived at a lakeside in a Cape Cod made of plywood. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover sauerkraut, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Fox standing there, his hands on his fingernail. "How nice to see you, Mister Fox," Miss Tapeworm sniped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," begged Mister Fox. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" tittered Miss Tapeworm grimly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of Kool-Aid?"

"I can't stay," quoted Mister Fox. I just want to ask you what you think of the tapeworm that's come to the lakeside.

"I really don't know," retorted Miss Tapeworm. "I didn't know about any tapeworm. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," drawled Mister Fox crossly. "I heard that this tapeworm likes to destroy pain pills."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Fox, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the lakeside when we get a lot of tapeworms destroying pain pills?"

"I can't imagine," asserted Miss Tapeworm.

"What are we going to do about it?" declaimed Mister Fox.

"Appoint a committee?" urged Miss Tapeworm, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Fox had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," hummed Miss Tapeworm neatly, 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 Fox grimly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," invited Miss Tapeworm proudly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bookshelf on her front porch, looking out over the lakeside and buzzing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Fox. Do come again."

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

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

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

Miss Tapeworm sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied firmly.