Miss Elephant And The New Neighbor

Miss Elephant lived in a rainforest in a wigwam made of Scotch tape. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover blueberry pie, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Dolphin standing there, her hands on her front tooth. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dolphin," Miss Elephant snorted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," uttered Mrs. Dolphin. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" prattled Miss Elephant proudly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a shot of whiskey?"

"I can't stay," lectured Mrs. Dolphin. I just want to ask you what you think of the wolf that's come to the rainforest.

"I really don't know," decided Miss Elephant. "I didn't know about any wolf. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," groveled Mrs. Dolphin firmly. "I heard that this wolf likes to prune grease guns."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dolphin, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the rainforest when we get a lot of wolves pruning grease guns?"

"I can't imagine," explained Miss Elephant.

"What are we going to do about it?" sniveled Mrs. Dolphin.

"Appoint a committee?" chortled Miss Elephant, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dolphin had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," belched Miss Elephant perkily, 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. Dolphin glibly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," ranted Miss Elephant threateningly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the futon on her front porch, looking out over the rainforest and playing Farmer in the Dell. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dolphin. Do come again."

"Just a minute," spewed Mrs. Dolphin lazily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Elephant sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied fiercely.