Miss Grasshopper And The New Neighbor

Miss Grasshopper lived on a butte in a mansion made of stone. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover steak, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Skunk standing there, her hands on her abdomen. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Skunk," Miss Grasshopper fumed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," lamented Mrs. Skunk. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" reasoned Miss Grasshopper carefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of hot cider?"

"I can't stay," vouched Mrs. Skunk. I just want to ask you what you think of the polecat that's come to the butte.

"I really don't know," remarked Miss Grasshopper. "I didn't know about any polecat. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," barked Mrs. Skunk diligently. "I heard that this polecat likes to photograph Lego sets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Skunk, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the butte when we get a lot of polecats photographing Lego sets?"

"I can't imagine," squeaked Miss Grasshopper.

"What are we going to do about it?" blurted Mrs. Skunk.

"Appoint a committee?" mused Miss Grasshopper, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Skunk had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," cried Miss Grasshopper intensely, 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. Skunk quickly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," orated Miss Grasshopper glumly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the ping-pong table on her front porch, looking out over the butte and blanking out. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Skunk. Do come again."

"Just a minute," spouted Mrs. Skunk calmly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Grasshopper sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied clumsily.