Miss Robot And The New Neighbor

Miss Robot lived on a peninsula in a dugout made of seaweed. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover shrimp, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Honeybee standing there, his hands on his spine. "How nice to see you, Mister Honeybee," Miss Robot informed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," whined Mister Honeybee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" divulged Miss Robot breathlessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot buttered rum?"

"I can't stay," thought Mister Honeybee. I just want to ask you what you think of the salamander that's come to the peninsula.

"I really don't know," noted Miss Robot. "I didn't know about any salamander. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," blustered Mister Honeybee sheepishly. "I heard that this salamander likes to mark tablet computers."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Honeybee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the peninsula when we get a lot of salamanders marking tablet computers?"

"I can't imagine," yammered Miss Robot.

"What are we going to do about it?" taunted Mister Honeybee.

"Appoint a committee?" swore Miss Robot, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Honeybee had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Honeybee coldly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," accused Miss Robot warmly, 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 Mister Honeybee gracefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," harangued Miss Robot quickly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pedestal on her front porch, looking out over the peninsula and getting angry. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Honeybee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," comforted Mister Honeybee anxiously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Robot sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied warily.