Miss Beagle And The New Neighbor

Miss Beagle lived in an outback in a palace made of marble. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ham, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Flea standing there, his hands on his antenna. "How nice to see you, Mister Flea," Miss Beagle simpered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," queried Mister Flea. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" decided Miss Beagle carelessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a V8?"

"I can't stay," lamented Mister Flea. I just want to ask you what you think of the cobra that's come to the outback.

"I really don't know," hissed Miss Beagle. "I didn't know about any cobra. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," croaked Mister Flea lickety-split. "I heard that this cobra likes to mend piggy banks."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Flea, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the outback when we get a lot of cobras mending piggy banks?"

"I can't imagine," brought up Miss Beagle.

"What are we going to do about it?" exclaimed Mister Flea.

"Appoint a committee?" indicated Miss Beagle, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Flea had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," requested Miss Beagle silently, 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 Flea gently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," continued Miss Beagle bitterly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the wooden crate on her front porch, looking out over the outback and sweating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Flea. Do come again."

"Just a minute," wailed Mister Flea cheerfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Beagle sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied gleefully.