Miss Dolphin And The New Neighbor

Miss Dolphin lived on a butte in a studio made of Bakelite. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ice cream, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" quavered Miss Dolphin innocently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of carrot juice?"

"I can't stay," roared Mrs. Puma. I just want to ask you what you think of the rabbit that's come to the butte.

"I really don't know," announced Miss Dolphin. "I didn't know about any rabbit. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," amended Mrs. Puma suddenly. "I heard that this rabbit likes to guard pieces of paper."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Puma, 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 rabbits guarding pieces of paper?"

"I can't imagine," guessed Miss Dolphin.

"What are we going to do about it?" snorted Mrs. Puma.

"Appoint a committee?" persisted Miss Dolphin, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Puma had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," revealed Miss Dolphin brightly, 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. Puma daringly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," gabbed Miss Dolphin sorrowfully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the filing cabinet on her front porch, looking out over the butte and snuffling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Puma. Do come again."

"Just a minute," spat Mrs. Puma despondently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dolphin sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied vacantly.