Miss Parrot And The New Neighbor

Miss Parrot lived on a peninsula in a chateau made of tiles. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cabbage rolls, 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 Mister Cheetah standing there, his hands on his toenail. "How nice to see you, Mister Cheetah," Miss Parrot wept, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," reasoned Mister Cheetah. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" conversed Miss Parrot energetically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a 7-Up?"

"I can't stay," sniffed Mister Cheetah. I just want to ask you what you think of the newt that's come to the peninsula.

"I really don't know," articulated Miss Parrot. "I didn't know about any newt. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," professed Mister Cheetah sharply. "I heard that this newt likes to gold plate coupons."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Cheetah, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the peninsula when we get a lot of newts gold plating coupons?"

"I can't imagine," professed Miss Parrot.

"What are we going to do about it?" argued Mister Cheetah.

"Appoint a committee?" vouched Miss Parrot, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Cheetah had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," decided Miss Parrot lovingly, 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 Cheetah repeatedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," emphasized Miss Parrot languidly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the overstuffed chair on her front porch, looking out over the peninsula and resting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Cheetah. Do come again."

"Just a minute," chimed Mister Cheetah narrowly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Parrot sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied dolorously.