Miss Caribou And The New Neighbor

Miss Caribou lived on a seacoast in a mud hut made of fabric. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover banana split, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Gecko standing there, her hands on her brain. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gecko," Miss Caribou disputed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," exclaimed Mrs. Gecko. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" barked Miss Caribou violently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of orange juice?"

"I can't stay," exclaimed Mrs. Gecko. I just want to ask you what you think of the ghost that's come to the seacoast.

"I really don't know," inquired Miss Caribou. "I didn't know about any ghost. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," croaked Mrs. Gecko cleverly. "I heard that this ghost likes to stain hair brushes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Gecko, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seacoast when we get a lot of ghosts staining hair brushes?"

"I can't imagine," hollered Miss Caribou.

"What are we going to do about it?" bragged Mrs. Gecko.

"Appoint a committee?" hummed Miss Caribou, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Gecko had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," pleaded Miss Caribou frantically, 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. Gecko fondly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," chimed Miss Caribou deftly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the china cabinet on her front porch, looking out over the seacoast and resting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gecko. Do come again."

"Just a minute," requested Mrs. Gecko innocently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Caribou sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied coldly.