Miss Cockroach And The New Neighbor

Miss Cockroach lived in a lagoon in a yurt made of papyrus. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover dry toast, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Ape standing there, his hands on his appendix. "How nice to see you, Mister Ape," Miss Cockroach spouted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," groaned Mister Ape. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yelped Miss Cockroach nonchalantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a fruit smoothie?"

"I can't stay," babbled Mister Ape. I just want to ask you what you think of the unicorn that's come to the lagoon.

"I really don't know," sneered Miss Cockroach. "I didn't know about any unicorn. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," swore Mister Ape narrowly. "I heard that this unicorn likes to grapple pairs of knitting needles."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Ape, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the lagoon when we get a lot of unicorns grappling pairs of knitting needles?"

"I can't imagine," concluded Miss Cockroach.

"What are we going to do about it?" yowled Mister Ape.

"Appoint a committee?" amended Miss Cockroach, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Ape had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," spouted Miss Cockroach perkily, 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 Ape dubiously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," ranted Miss Cockroach ruefully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the cushion on her front porch, looking out over the lagoon and dealing cards. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Ape. Do come again."

"Just a minute," conversed Mister Ape truculently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Cockroach sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied suavely.