Miss Doggie And The New Neighbor

Miss Doggie lived beside a river in a quonset hut made of platinum. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover beef bouillon, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Musk-ox standing there, his hands on his spleen. "How nice to see you, Mister Musk-ox," Miss Doggie added, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," muttered Mister Musk-ox. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" stated Miss Doggie humbly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mai Tai?"

"I can't stay," added Mister Musk-ox. I just want to ask you what you think of the monster that's come to the river.

"I really don't know," squealed Miss Doggie. "I didn't know about any monster. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," blustered Mister Musk-ox again. "I heard that this monster likes to bite bags of groceries."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Musk-ox, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the river when we get a lot of monsters biting bags of groceries?"

"I can't imagine," fumed Miss Doggie.

"What are we going to do about it?" begged Mister Musk-ox.

"Appoint a committee?" lectured Miss Doggie, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Musk-ox had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Musk-ox testily. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," tittered Miss Doggie glibly, 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 Musk-ox surreptitiously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," preached Miss Doggie repeatedly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the umbrella stand on her front porch, looking out over the river and sleeping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Musk-ox. Do come again."

"Just a minute," stuttered Mister Musk-ox vigorously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Doggie sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied testily.