Miss Duck And The New Neighbor

Miss Duck lived on a grassy knoll in a yurt made of rope. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pretzels, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Bullfrog standing there, her hands on her knee. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Bullfrog," Miss Duck announced, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," bragged Mrs. Bullfrog. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" concluded Miss Duck narrowly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of bouillon?"

"I can't stay," ranted Mrs. Bullfrog. I just want to ask you what you think of the zebra that's come to the grassy knoll.

"I really don't know," acknowledged Miss Duck. "I didn't know about any zebra. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," blathered Mrs. Bullfrog unnaturally. "I heard that this zebra likes to throw chess sets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Bullfrog, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the grassy knoll when we get a lot of zebras throwing chess sets?"

"I can't imagine," answered Miss Duck.

"What are we going to do about it?" blustered Mrs. Bullfrog.

"Appoint a committee?" screamed Miss Duck, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Bullfrog had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," rebutted Miss Duck sourly, 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. Bullfrog quietly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," said Miss Duck flightily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the wardrobe on her front porch, looking out over the grassy knoll and itching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Bullfrog. Do come again."

"Just a minute," stammered Mrs. Bullfrog hastily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Duck sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied steadily.