Miss Butterfly And The New Neighbor

Miss Butterfly lived on a seacoast in a teepee made of felt. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ice cream, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Parakeet standing there, his hands on his brain. "How nice to see you, Mister Parakeet," Miss Butterfly fretted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," clarified Mister Parakeet. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" blubbered Miss Butterfly sagely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an iced tea?"

"I can't stay," panted Mister Parakeet. I just want to ask you what you think of the German Shepherd that's come to the seacoast.

"I really don't know," began Miss Butterfly. "I didn't know about any German Shepherd. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sobbed Mister Parakeet thoughtfully. "I heard that this German Shepherd likes to mend flowers."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Parakeet, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seacoast when we get a lot of German Shepherds mending flowers?"

"I can't imagine," prattled Miss Butterfly.

"What are we going to do about it?" gasped Mister Parakeet.

"Appoint a committee?" hummed Miss Butterfly, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Parakeet had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," brought up Miss Butterfly gently, 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 Parakeet jokingly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," sniveled Miss Butterfly sweetly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the couch on her front porch, looking out over the seacoast and treading water. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Parakeet. Do come again."

"Just a minute," indicated Mister Parakeet humbly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Butterfly sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied demurely.