Miss Ladybug And The New Neighbor

Miss Ladybug lived in a country meadow in a yurt made of stucco. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover bread and butter, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Donkey standing there, her hands on her paw. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Donkey," Miss Ladybug decided, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," ranted Mrs. Donkey. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" bawled Miss Ladybug tearfully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cosmopolitan?"

"I can't stay," croaked Mrs. Donkey. I just want to ask you what you think of the mole that's come to the country meadow.

"I really don't know," mentioned Miss Ladybug. "I didn't know about any mole. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," moaned Mrs. Donkey excitedly. "I heard that this mole likes to demolish coloring books."

"Um, I don't know what to say," spoke up Miss Ladybug, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Donkey, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the country meadow when we get a lot of moles demolishing coloring books?"

"I can't imagine," stuttered Miss Ladybug.

"What are we going to do about it?" insisted Mrs. Donkey.

"Appoint a committee?" yowled Miss Ladybug, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Donkey had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," invited Miss Ladybug unexpectedly, 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. Donkey unabashedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," retorted Miss Ladybug busily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the card table on her front porch, looking out over the country meadow and fidgeting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Donkey. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sighed Mrs. Donkey daringly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Ladybug sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied miserably.