Miss Peacock And The New Neighbor

Miss Peacock lived in a grassland in a wigwam made of posts and beams. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover roast beef, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Pelican standing there, his hands on his hoof. "How nice to see you, Mister Pelican," Miss Peacock revealed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," suggested Mister Pelican. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" continued Miss Peacock jokingly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Shirley Temple?"

"I can't stay," scoffed Mister Pelican. I just want to ask you what you think of the pony that's come to the grassland.

"I really don't know," pointed out Miss Peacock. "I didn't know about any pony. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," bragged Mister Pelican brightly. "I heard that this pony likes to annoint mirrors."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Pelican, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the grassland when we get a lot of ponies annointing mirrors?"

"I can't imagine," snarled Miss Peacock.

"What are we going to do about it?" asked Mister Pelican.

"Appoint a committee?" urged Miss Peacock, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Pelican had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," offered Miss Peacock properly, 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 Pelican glumly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yelled Miss Peacock charmingly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bookshelf on her front porch, looking out over the grassland and nodding off. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Pelican. Do come again."

"Just a minute," blathered Mister Pelican pitifully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Peacock sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied swiftly.