Miss Shrew And The New Neighbor

Miss Shrew lived at a seashore in a quonset hut made of straw. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover shrimp, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" added Miss Shrew offhandedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a gin sour?"

"I can't stay," taunted Mrs. Mosquito. I just want to ask you what you think of the elk that's come to the seashore.

"I really don't know," interrupted Miss Shrew. "I didn't know about any elk. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," quoted Mrs. Mosquito gleefully. "I heard that this elk likes to ridicule air compressors."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Mosquito, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seashore when we get a lot of elk ridiculing air compressors?"

"I can't imagine," queried Miss Shrew.

"What are we going to do about it?" commented Mrs. Mosquito.

"Appoint a committee?" hollered Miss Shrew, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Mosquito had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," added Miss Shrew later, 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. Mosquito despondently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hissed Miss Shrew caustically, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the wardrobe on her front porch, looking out over the seashore and groaning. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Mosquito. Do come again."

"Just a minute," spewed Mrs. Mosquito joyously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Shrew sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied hopefully.