Miss Wallaby And The New Neighbor

Miss Wallaby lived in a village in a park bench made of gravel. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover macaroni, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Toad standing there, her hands on her tummy. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Toad," Miss Wallaby reasoned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," retorted Mrs. Toad. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" judged Miss Wallaby violently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Bloody Mary?"

"I can't stay," imitated Mrs. Toad. I just want to ask you what you think of the colt that's come to the village.

"I really don't know," maintained Miss Wallaby. "I didn't know about any colt. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," persisted Mrs. Toad calmly. "I heard that this colt likes to check chamber pots."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Toad, 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 colts checking chamber pots?"

"I can't imagine," yowled Miss Wallaby.

"What are we going to do about it?" blustered Mrs. Toad.

"Appoint a committee?" gasped Miss Wallaby, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Toad had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," barked Miss Wallaby narrowly, 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. Toad accidentally. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," sniffed Miss Wallaby angrily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the windowsill on her front porch, looking out over the village and panting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Toad. Do come again."

"Just a minute," interpreted Mrs. Toad slyly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Wallaby sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied proudly.