Miss Worm And The New Neighbor

Miss Worm lived on a veld in a convent made of bamboo. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cherries jubilee, when she heard a knock at the door.

She sashayed 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 knuckle. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gecko," Miss Worm burbled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," begged Mrs. Gecko. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" peeped Miss Worm fervently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mai Tai?"

"I can't stay," shouted Mrs. Gecko. I just want to ask you what you think of the buffalo that's come to the veld.

"I really don't know," quoted Miss Worm. "I didn't know about any buffalo. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," repeated Mrs. Gecko tearfully. "I heard that this buffalo likes to bleach cowbells."

"Um, I don't know what to say," explained Miss Worm, 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 veld when we get a lot of buffalo bleaching cowbells?"

"I can't imagine," wailed Miss Worm.

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

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," stammered Miss Worm rapidly, 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 solemnly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," mused Miss Worm calmly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the sofa on her front porch, looking out over the veld and playing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gecko. Do come again."

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

Miss Worm thought she had answered, and was beginning to get homely. "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 Worm sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied cleverly.