Miss Mongoose And The New Neighbor

Miss Mongoose lived in a park in a crypt made of flax. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover roast turkey, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Shark standing there, her hands on her toenail. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Shark," Miss Mongoose yelped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," expressed Mrs. Shark. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" wondered Miss Mongoose furiously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a root beer?"

"I can't stay," suggested Mrs. Shark. I just want to ask you what you think of the puppy that's come to the park.

"I really don't know," smiled Miss Mongoose. "I didn't know about any puppy. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," reacted Mrs. Shark confidently. "I heard that this puppy likes to ruin washrags."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Shark, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the park when we get a lot of puppies ruining washrags?"

"I can't imagine," protested Miss Mongoose.

"What are we going to do about it?" realized Mrs. Shark.

"Appoint a committee?" chuckled Miss Mongoose, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Shark had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," hollered Miss Mongoose wildly, 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. Shark warily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," chuckled Miss Mongoose innocently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the nightstand on her front porch, looking out over the park and belching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Shark. Do come again."

"Just a minute," enunciated Mrs. Shark timidly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mongoose sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sorrowfully.