Miss Cockroach And The New Neighbor

Miss Cockroach lived in a field in a homeless shelter made of mud bricks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover banana split, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Kitten standing there, her hands on her intestine. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Kitten," Miss Cockroach boomed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," swore Mrs. Kitten. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" mused Miss Cockroach ruefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mudslide?"

"I can't stay," remarked Mrs. Kitten. I just want to ask you what you think of the tarantula that's come to the field.

"I really don't know," joked Miss Cockroach. "I didn't know about any tarantula. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," mentioned Mrs. Kitten crossly. "I heard that this tarantula likes to push etchings."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Kitten, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the field when we get a lot of tarantulas pushing etchings?"

"I can't imagine," whined Miss Cockroach.

"What are we going to do about it?" invited Mrs. Kitten.

"Appoint a committee?" blurted Miss Cockroach, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Kitten had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," fantasized Miss Cockroach valiantly, 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. Kitten kindly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," screeched Miss Cockroach uselessly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the four-poster bed on her front porch, looking out over the field and shivering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Kitten. Do come again."

"Just a minute," laughed Mrs. Kitten dolorously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Cockroach sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied softly.