Miss Kitty And The New Neighbor

Miss Kitty lived on a hillside in a box made of bronze. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Hamburger Helper, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Partridge standing there, his hands on his beard. "How nice to see you, Mister Partridge," Miss Kitty worried, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," chuckled Mister Partridge. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" concluded Miss Kitty peevishly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Seven and Seven?"

"I can't stay," cried Mister Partridge. I just want to ask you what you think of the hermit crab that's come to the hillside.

"I really don't know," stuttered Miss Kitty. "I didn't know about any hermit crab. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," hinted Mister Partridge lickety-split. "I heard that this hermit crab likes to pull dishes."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Partridge, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hillside when we get a lot of hermit crabs pulling dishes?"

"I can't imagine," announced Miss Kitty.

"What are we going to do about it?" yelped Mister Partridge.

"Appoint a committee?" indicated Miss Kitty, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Partridge had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," jeered Miss Kitty quietly, 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 Partridge gracefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," comforted Miss Kitty calmly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the canopy bed on her front porch, looking out over the hillside and kneeling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Partridge. Do come again."

"Just a minute," trumpeted Mister Partridge arrogantly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Kitty sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied hysterically.