Miss Goblin And The New Neighbor

Miss Goblin lived in a dumpster in a chateau made of mud bricks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover prune pudding, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Parakeet standing there, her hands on her belly button. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Parakeet," Miss Goblin groaned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," fumed Mrs. Parakeet. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" provoked Miss Goblin fiercely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an old fashioned?"

"I can't stay," tittered Mrs. Parakeet. I just want to ask you what you think of the ostrich that's come to the dumpster.

"I really don't know," rumored Miss Goblin. "I didn't know about any ostrich. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," moaned Mrs. Parakeet slowly. "I heard that this ostrich likes to fortify Kindles."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Parakeet, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the dumpster when we get a lot of ostriches fortifying Kindles?"

"I can't imagine," articulated Miss Goblin.

"What are we going to do about it?" chanted Mrs. Parakeet.

"Appoint a committee?" croaked Miss Goblin, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Parakeet had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," preached Miss Goblin jokingly, 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. Parakeet happily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," exclaimed Miss Goblin thoughtfully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the recliner on her front porch, looking out over the dumpster and falling asleep. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Parakeet. Do come again."

"Just a minute," pointed out Mrs. Parakeet slowly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Miss Goblin 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 Mister Parakeet doing these days?"

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

Miss Goblin sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied menacingly.