Miss Colt And The New Neighbor

Miss Colt lived on a trail in a condominium made of masonry. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cherries jubilee, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Swan standing there, her hands on her heel. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Swan," Miss Colt intimated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," revealed Mrs. Swan. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" enunciated Miss Colt valiantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of fruit punch?"

"I can't stay," scoffed Mrs. Swan. I just want to ask you what you think of the chipmunk that's come to the trail.

"I really don't know," phrased Miss Colt. "I didn't know about any chipmunk. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," divulged Mrs. Swan brightly. "I heard that this chipmunk likes to get baseballs."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Swan, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the trail when we get a lot of chipmunks getting baseballs?"

"I can't imagine," insisted Miss Colt.

"What are we going to do about it?" bragged Mrs. Swan.

"Appoint a committee?" smirked Miss Colt, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Swan had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," chimed Miss Colt irritably, 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. Swan positively. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," groveled Miss Colt miserably, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the sofa on her front porch, looking out over the trail and clapping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Swan. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hollered Mrs. Swan grimly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Miss Colt 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 Swan doing these days?"

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

Miss Colt sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied glibly.