Miss Tropical Fish And The New Neighbor

Miss Tropical fish lived on a plateau in a sand castle made of old tires. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover potatoes and gravy, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Wallaby standing there, her hands on her head. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Wallaby," Miss Tropical fish admitted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," quavered Mrs. Wallaby. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" conversed Miss Tropical fish elatedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an Alka-Seltzer?"

"I can't stay," exclaimed Mrs. Wallaby. I just want to ask you what you think of the dog that's come to the plateau.

"I really don't know," tittered Miss Tropical fish. "I didn't know about any dog. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," rebutted Mrs. Wallaby carefully. "I heard that this dog likes to mark Hostess Ding Dongs."

"Um, I don't know what to say," analyzed Miss Tropical fish, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Wallaby, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plateau when we get a lot of dogs marking Hostess Ding Dongs?"

"I can't imagine," nattered Miss Tropical fish.

"What are we going to do about it?" roared Mrs. Wallaby.

"Appoint a committee?" expressed Miss Tropical fish, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Wallaby had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," burbled Miss Tropical fish kindly, 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. Wallaby sharply. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," insisted Miss Tropical fish delicately, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the wine rack on her front porch, looking out over the plateau and curtseying. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Wallaby. Do come again."

"Just a minute," chuckled Mrs. Wallaby urgently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Tropical fish sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied boisterously.