Miss Sasquatch And The New Neighbor

Miss Sasquatch lived on a butte in a quonset hut made of brass. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover moo goo gai pan, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Nightingale standing there, her hands on her nostril. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Nightingale," Miss Sasquatch cackled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," spat Mrs. Nightingale. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" pronounced Miss Sasquatch cautiously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a secret potion?"

"I can't stay," fumed Mrs. Nightingale. I just want to ask you what you think of the whale that's come to the butte.

"I really don't know," suggested Miss Sasquatch. "I didn't know about any whale. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," invited Mrs. Nightingale awkwardly. "I heard that this whale likes to puncture pink flamingoes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Nightingale, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the butte when we get a lot of whales puncturing pink flamingoes?"

"I can't imagine," croaked Miss Sasquatch.

"What are we going to do about it?" sobbed Mrs. Nightingale.

"Appoint a committee?" avowed Miss Sasquatch, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Nightingale had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," groaned Miss Sasquatch majestically, 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. Nightingale gingerly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," noted Miss Sasquatch boldly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the computer on her front porch, looking out over the butte and hiding. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Nightingale. Do come again."

"Just a minute," wailed Mrs. Nightingale carelessly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Sasquatch sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied thoughtfully.