Miss Raven And The New Neighbor

Miss Raven lived in a country meadow in a farmhouse made of slate. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover sushi, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Walrus standing there, his hands on his collarbone. "How nice to see you, Mister Walrus," Miss Raven howled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," called Mister Walrus. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" offered Miss Raven confidently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of bouillon?"

"I can't stay," demanded Mister Walrus. I just want to ask you what you think of the magpie that's come to the country meadow.

"I really don't know," insisted Miss Raven. "I didn't know about any magpie. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," intimated Mister Walrus shyly. "I heard that this magpie likes to submerse pairs of dice."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Walrus, 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 magpies submersing pairs of dice?"

"I can't imagine," imitated Miss Raven.

"What are we going to do about it?" sighed Mister Walrus.

"Appoint a committee?" smirked Miss Raven, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Walrus had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," drawled Miss Raven joyously, 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 Walrus bitterly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," sneered Miss Raven truculently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the canopy bed on her front porch, looking out over the country meadow and backing down. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Walrus. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hollered Mister Walrus roughly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Raven sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied ingeniously.