Miss Lynx And The New Neighbor

Miss Lynx lived in an outback in a flat made of kelp. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover smoked salmon, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Mole standing there, her hands on her toe. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Mole," Miss Lynx recited, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," judged Mrs. Mole. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sniveled Miss Lynx valiantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a shot of tequila?"

"I can't stay," hinted Mrs. Mole. I just want to ask you what you think of the dinosaur that's come to the outback.

"I really don't know," divulged Miss Lynx. "I didn't know about any dinosaur. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," persisted Mrs. Mole dolefully. "I heard that this dinosaur likes to score hip flasks."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Mole, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the outback when we get a lot of dinosaurs scoring hip flasks?"

"I can't imagine," uttered Miss Lynx.

"What are we going to do about it?" declared Mrs. Mole.

"Appoint a committee?" alleged Miss Lynx, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Mole had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," alleged Miss Lynx hungrily, 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. Mole positively. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," chanted Miss Lynx wearily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the stairway on her front porch, looking out over the outback and awakening. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Mole. Do come again."

"Just a minute," harangued Mrs. Mole tenderly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Lynx sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied craftily.