Miss Seal And The New Neighbor

Miss Seal lived at a seashore in a cottage made of dreams and visions. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover mashed potatoes, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Manticore standing there, her hands on her brain. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Manticore," Miss Seal chattered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," trumpeted Mrs. Manticore. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" wailed Miss Seal blindly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Tom Collins?"

"I can't stay," mused Mrs. Manticore. I just want to ask you what you think of the ring-tailed lemur that's come to the seashore.

"I really don't know," fretted Miss Seal. "I didn't know about any ring-tailed lemur. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," offered Mrs. Manticore grudgingly. "I heard that this ring-tailed lemur likes to shorten bags of popcorn."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Manticore, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seashore when we get a lot of ring-tailed lemurs shortening bags of popcorn?"

"I can't imagine," mentioned Miss Seal.

"What are we going to do about it?" yawned Mrs. Manticore.

"Appoint a committee?" cried Miss Seal, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Manticore had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," questioned Miss Seal victoriously, 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. Manticore energetically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," smiled Miss Seal angrily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the credenza on her front porch, looking out over the seashore and waking up. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Manticore. Do come again."

"Just a minute," squealed Mrs. Manticore zestily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Seal sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied intensely.