Miss Penguin And The New Neighbor

Miss Penguin lived in a canyon in a farmhouse made of construction paper. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover chicken pot pie, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Cockatiel standing there, his hands on his hand. "How nice to see you, Mister Cockatiel," Miss Penguin peeped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," reacted Mister Cockatiel. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" noted Miss Penguin quietly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Coke?"

"I can't stay," voiced Mister Cockatiel. I just want to ask you what you think of the ring-tailed lemur that's come to the canyon.

"I really don't know," blurted Miss Penguin. "I didn't know about any ring-tailed lemur. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," squealed Mister Cockatiel innocently. "I heard that this ring-tailed lemur likes to grasp pieces of candy."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Cockatiel, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the canyon when we get a lot of ring-tailed lemurs grasping pieces of candy?"

"I can't imagine," informed Miss Penguin.

"What are we going to do about it?" noted Mister Cockatiel.

"Appoint a committee?" simpered Miss Penguin, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Cockatiel had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," hollered Miss Penguin despondently, 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 Cockatiel accidentally. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," mouthed Miss Penguin testily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the card table on her front porch, looking out over the canyon and staring. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Cockatiel. Do come again."

"Just a minute," crooned Mister Cockatiel roughly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Penguin sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied haughtily.