Miss Fox And The New Neighbor

Miss Fox lived on a trail in a Spanish colonial made of roots. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover hash, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" declaimed Miss Fox gently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Shirley Temple?"

"I can't stay," roared Mister Hippopotamus. I just want to ask you what you think of the rooster that's come to the trail.

"I really don't know," squeaked Miss Fox. "I didn't know about any rooster. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," amended Mister Hippopotamus deftly. "I heard that this rooster likes to overturn bugles."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Hippopotamus, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the trail when we get a lot of roosters overturning bugles?"

"I can't imagine," decided Miss Fox.

"What are we going to do about it?" persisted Mister Hippopotamus.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," spouted Miss Fox quickly, 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 Hippopotamus irritably. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hollered Miss Fox despondently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the stairway on her front porch, looking out over the trail and chattering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Hippopotamus. Do come again."

"Just a minute," chuckled Mister Hippopotamus gently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Fox sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied recklessly.