Miss Manatee And The New Neighbor

Miss Manatee lived in a country meadow in a treehouse made of gingerbread. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pretzels, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Boar standing there, her hands on her eyebrow. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Boar," Miss Manatee moaned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," chortled Mrs. Boar. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" remarked Miss Manatee blissfully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot buttered rum?"

"I can't stay," cajoled Mrs. Boar. I just want to ask you what you think of the dingo that's come to the country meadow.

"I really don't know," amended Miss Manatee. "I didn't know about any dingo. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," swore Mrs. Boar curiously. "I heard that this dingo likes to shred baskets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Boar, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the country meadow when we get a lot of dingoes shredding baskets?"

"I can't imagine," crooned Miss Manatee.

"What are we going to do about it?" groveled Mrs. Boar.

"Appoint a committee?" called Miss Manatee, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Boar had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," babbled Miss Manatee confidently, 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. Boar sarcastically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," rationalized Miss Manatee calmly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the ottoman on her front porch, looking out over the country meadow and squinting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Boar. Do come again."

"Just a minute," answered Mrs. Boar awkwardly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Manatee sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied woodenly.