Miss Finch And The New Neighbor

Miss Finch lived beside a creek in a log cabin made of papier-mâché. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cinnamon toast, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Mule standing there, her hands on her antenna. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Mule," Miss Finch repeated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," growled Mrs. Mule. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" indicated Miss Finch needlessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Scotch and soda?"

"I can't stay," persisted Mrs. Mule. I just want to ask you what you think of the lark that's come to the creek.

"I really don't know," hissed Miss Finch. "I didn't know about any lark. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," guessed Mrs. Mule cruelly. "I heard that this lark likes to exclude hair dryers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Mule, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the creek when we get a lot of larks excluding hair dryers?"

"I can't imagine," phrased Miss Finch.

"What are we going to do about it?" articulated Mrs. Mule.

"Appoint a committee?" yawned Miss Finch, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Mule had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," begged Miss Finch patiently, 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. Mule vigorously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," recited Miss Finch cunningly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the dining table on her front porch, looking out over the creek and digesting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Mule. Do come again."

"Just a minute," chimed Mrs. Mule shyly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Finch sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied automatically.