Miss Yak And The New Neighbor

Miss Yak lived in a pond in a farmhouse made of hemp. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover steak, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Gnu standing there, her hands on her aorta. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gnu," Miss Yak added, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," acknowledged Mrs. Gnu. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" quoted Miss Yak gently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Long Island iced tea?"

"I can't stay," said Mrs. Gnu. I just want to ask you what you think of the elk that's come to the pond.

"I really don't know," intimated Miss Yak. "I didn't know about any elk. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," screamed Mrs. Gnu lightly. "I heard that this elk likes to remove toys."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Gnu, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pond when we get a lot of elk removing toys?"

"I can't imagine," proposed Miss Yak.

"What are we going to do about it?" demanded Mrs. Gnu.

"Appoint a committee?" panted Miss Yak, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Gnu had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," begged Miss Yak daintily, 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. Gnu flightily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," pointed out Miss Yak surreptitiously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bathtub on her front porch, looking out over the pond and talking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gnu. Do come again."

"Just a minute," spoke up Mrs. Gnu deliberately. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Yak sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied timidly.