Miss Cheetah And The New Neighbor

Miss Cheetah lived in a gulch in a hotel made of rolled oats. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover dirty rice, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Giraffe standing there, his hands on his nostril. "How nice to see you, Mister Giraffe," Miss Cheetah recited, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," shouted Mister Giraffe. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" peeped Miss Cheetah gleefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a chocolate milk?"

"I can't stay," interrupted Mister Giraffe. I just want to ask you what you think of the banana slug that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," gabbed Miss Cheetah. "I didn't know about any banana slug. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sniveled Mister Giraffe noisily. "I heard that this banana slug likes to pat suitcases."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Giraffe, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of banana slugs patting suitcases?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" complained Mister Giraffe.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," imitated Miss Cheetah gruffly, 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 Giraffe shakily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," warbled Miss Cheetah defiantly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the piano on her front porch, looking out over the gulch and yelping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Giraffe. Do come again."

"Just a minute," raved Mister Giraffe resignedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Cheetah sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied offhandedly.