Miss Butterfly And The New Neighbor

Miss Butterfly lived in a marsh in a loft made of matchsticks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cookies, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Gecko standing there, his hands on his Adam's apple. "How nice to see you, Mister Gecko," Miss Butterfly smirked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," muttered Mister Gecko. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" cajoled Miss Butterfly stupidly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a can of Ensure?"

"I can't stay," reacted Mister Gecko. I just want to ask you what you think of the aardvark that's come to the marsh.

"I really don't know," spouted Miss Butterfly. "I didn't know about any aardvark. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," boomed Mister Gecko vigorously. "I heard that this aardvark likes to split business cards."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Gecko, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the marsh when we get a lot of aardvarks splitting business cards?"

"I can't imagine," informed Miss Butterfly.

"What are we going to do about it?" whispered Mister Gecko.

"Appoint a committee?" gabbed Miss Butterfly, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Gecko had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Gecko unnaturally. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," demanded Miss Butterfly grandly, 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 Mister Gecko blindly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," smirked Miss Butterfly innocently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the footstool on her front porch, looking out over the marsh and looking angry. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Gecko. Do come again."

"Just a minute," cajoled Mister Gecko sorrowfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Butterfly sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied noisily.