Miss Owl And The New Neighbor

Miss Owl lived on a wasteland in a wikiup made of taffeta. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover hamburgers, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Rat standing there, her hands on her back. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Rat," Miss Owl yammered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," implored Mrs. Rat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" stammered Miss Owl daintily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cambric tea?"

"I can't stay," breathed Mrs. Rat. I just want to ask you what you think of the gazelle that's come to the wasteland.

"I really don't know," stormed Miss Owl. "I didn't know about any gazelle. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," judged Mrs. Rat deftly. "I heard that this gazelle likes to flatten pain pills."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Rat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the wasteland when we get a lot of gazelles flattening pain pills?"

"I can't imagine," voiced Miss Owl.

"What are we going to do about it?" smiled Mrs. Rat.

"Appoint a committee?" observed Miss Owl, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Rat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," opined Miss Owl jokingly, 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. Rat numbly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," roared Miss Owl narrowly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the recliner on her front porch, looking out over the wasteland and chanting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Rat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," peeped Mrs. Rat queerly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Owl sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sympathetically.