Miss Horse And The New Neighbor

Miss Horse lived on a prairie in an A-frame made of wicker. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg drop soup, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Wolverine standing there, his hands on his throat. "How nice to see you, Mister Wolverine," Miss Horse piped up, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," began Mister Wolverine. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" conversed Miss Horse joyously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a mint julep?"

"I can't stay," railed Mister Wolverine. I just want to ask you what you think of the chameleon that's come to the prairie.

"I really don't know," drawled Miss Horse. "I didn't know about any chameleon. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," decided Mister Wolverine ruefully. "I heard that this chameleon likes to seize peanuts."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Wolverine, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the prairie when we get a lot of chameleons seizing peanuts?"

"I can't imagine," argued Miss Horse.

"What are we going to do about it?" blathered Mister Wolverine.

"Appoint a committee?" urged Miss Horse, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Wolverine had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," argued Miss Horse gently, 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 Wolverine arrogantly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," clarified Miss Horse cunningly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the fainting couch on her front porch, looking out over the prairie and clapping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Wolverine. Do come again."

"Just a minute," swore Mister Wolverine repeatedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Horse sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied fondly.