Miss Mare And The New Neighbor

Miss Mare lived on a plain in a hut made of fabric. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pot roast, 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. Monkey standing there, her hands on her belly button. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Monkey," Miss Mare grieved, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," blathered Mrs. Monkey. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sniffed Miss Mare cleverly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a piña colada?"

"I can't stay," trumpeted Mrs. Monkey. I just want to ask you what you think of the partridge that's come to the plain.

"I really don't know," called Miss Mare. "I didn't know about any partridge. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," rebutted Mrs. Monkey intensely. "I heard that this partridge likes to polish cameras."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Monkey, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plain when we get a lot of partridges polishing cameras?"

"I can't imagine," squealed Miss Mare.

"What are we going to do about it?" indicated Mrs. Monkey.

"Appoint a committee?" bawled Miss Mare, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Monkey had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," invited Miss Mare wildly, 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. Monkey bravely. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," remarked Miss Mare zestily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the chest of drawers on her front porch, looking out over the plain and going limp. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Monkey. Do come again."

"Just a minute," wept Mrs. Monkey urgently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mare sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied properly.