Miss Pekingese And The New Neighbor

Miss Pekingese lived in a circus tent in a boxcar made of wicker. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover tuna casserole, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Lion standing there, her hands on her claw. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Lion," Miss Pekingese prattled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," noted Mrs. Lion. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" jeered Miss Pekingese sorrowfully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a whiskey sour?"

"I can't stay," demanded Mrs. Lion. I just want to ask you what you think of the Siamese cat that's come to the circus tent.

"I really don't know," stuttered Miss Pekingese. "I didn't know about any Siamese cat. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," invited Mrs. Lion thankfully. "I heard that this Siamese cat likes to toss hacksaws."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Lion, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the circus tent when we get a lot of Siamese cats tossing hacksaws?"

"I can't imagine," lamented Miss Pekingese.

"What are we going to do about it?" squealed Mrs. Lion.

"Appoint a committee?" divulged Miss Pekingese, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Lion had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," accused Miss Pekingese proudly, 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. Lion proudly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," bragged Miss Pekingese clumsily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the rocking chair on her front porch, looking out over the circus tent and crying. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Lion. Do come again."

"Just a minute," blustered Mrs. Lion lovingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Pekingese sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied gingerly.