Miss Panda And The New Neighbor

Miss Panda lived in a rainforest in a church made of corncobs. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover falafel, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Jellyfish standing there, his hands on his scalp. "How nice to see you, Mister Jellyfish," Miss Panda yelped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," asserted Mister Jellyfish. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," articulated Mister Jellyfish. I just want to ask you what you think of the goat that's come to the rainforest.

"I really don't know," worried Miss Panda. "I didn't know about any goat. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," blathered Mister Jellyfish speedily. "I heard that this goat likes to beat dollhouses."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Jellyfish, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the rainforest when we get a lot of goats beating dollhouses?"

"I can't imagine," called Miss Panda.

"What are we going to do about it?" commented Mister Jellyfish.

"Appoint a committee?" appealed Miss Panda, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Jellyfish had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," protested Miss Panda arrogantly, 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 Jellyfish impatiently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," worried Miss Panda sleepily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the stool on her front porch, looking out over the rainforest and bleeding. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Jellyfish. Do come again."

"Just a minute," roared Mister Jellyfish hopefully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Panda sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied silently.