Miss Gorilla And The New Neighbor

Miss Gorilla lived on a beach in a log cabin made of gravel. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover banana split, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Muskrat standing there, her hands on her brain. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Muskrat," Miss Gorilla peeped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," cackled Mrs. Muskrat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" provoked Miss Gorilla sheepishly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a sarsaparilla?"

"I can't stay," moaned Mrs. Muskrat. I just want to ask you what you think of the unicorn that's come to the beach.

"I really don't know," argued Miss Gorilla. "I didn't know about any unicorn. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," shuddered Mrs. Muskrat furiously. "I heard that this unicorn likes to stack dictionaries."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Muskrat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the beach when we get a lot of unicorns stacking dictionaries?"

"I can't imagine," shrieked Miss Gorilla.

"What are we going to do about it?" noted Mrs. Muskrat.

"Appoint a committee?" prattled Miss Gorilla, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Muskrat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," stated Miss Gorilla hungrily, 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. Muskrat immediately. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," reminded Miss Gorilla narrowly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the footstool on her front porch, looking out over the beach and daydreaming. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Muskrat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," railed Mrs. Muskrat busily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Gorilla sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied coolly.