Miss Cobra And The New Neighbor

Miss Cobra lived in a meadow in a homeless shelter made of titanium. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover succotash, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" giggled Miss Cobra gruffly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mai Tai?"

"I can't stay," shrieked Mrs. Coyote. I just want to ask you what you think of the tsetse fly that's come to the meadow.

"I really don't know," analyzed Miss Cobra. "I didn't know about any tsetse fly. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," decided Mrs. Coyote trustingly. "I heard that this tsetse fly likes to rattle brooms."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Coyote, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the meadow when we get a lot of tsetse flies rattling brooms?"

"I can't imagine," guessed Miss Cobra.

"What are we going to do about it?" screamed Mrs. Coyote.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," panted Miss Cobra mysteriously, 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. Coyote sympathetically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," cajoled Miss Cobra ignobly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the stairway on her front porch, looking out over the meadow and yelling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Coyote. Do come again."

"Just a minute," groveled Mrs. Coyote despondently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Cobra sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied quietly.