Miss Ring-tailed Lemur And The New Neighbor

Miss Ring-tailed lemur lived on a range in a junk car made of paper clips. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover beans, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Moose standing there, his hands on his foot. "How nice to see you, Mister Moose," Miss Ring-tailed lemur scoffed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," argued Mister Moose. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" hissed Miss Ring-tailed lemur woefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of milk?"

"I can't stay," uttered Mister Moose. I just want to ask you what you think of the alligator that's come to the range.

"I really don't know," intimated Miss Ring-tailed lemur. "I didn't know about any alligator. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," maintained Mister Moose warily. "I heard that this alligator likes to hammer paper bags."

"Um, I don't know what to say," pointed out Miss Ring-tailed lemur, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Moose, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the range when we get a lot of alligators hammering paper bags?"

"I can't imagine," mouthed Miss Ring-tailed lemur.

"What are we going to do about it?" sniped Mister Moose.

"Appoint a committee?" chuckled Miss Ring-tailed lemur, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Moose had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," mouthed Miss Ring-tailed lemur cautiously, 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 Moose openly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," stormed Miss Ring-tailed lemur warmly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the filing cabinet on her front porch, looking out over the range and blinking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Moose. Do come again."

"Just a minute," repeated Mister Moose suddenly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Ring-tailed lemur sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied frenetically.