Miss Dingo And The New Neighbor

Miss Dingo lived on a plateau in a junk car made of roots. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover mashed potatoes, 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 Giraffe standing there, his hands on his shin. "How nice to see you, Mister Giraffe," Miss Dingo hissed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," queried Mister Giraffe. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" swore Miss Dingo perkily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of water?"

"I can't stay," jeered Mister Giraffe. I just want to ask you what you think of the shark that's come to the plateau.

"I really don't know," babbled Miss Dingo. "I didn't know about any shark. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," peeped Mister Giraffe calmly. "I heard that this shark likes to lick violas."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Giraffe, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plateau when we get a lot of sharks licking violas?"

"I can't imagine," instructed Miss Dingo.

"What are we going to do about it?" protested Mister Giraffe.

"Appoint a committee?" said Miss Dingo, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Giraffe had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," burbled Miss Dingo wryly, 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 Giraffe despondently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," shrieked Miss Dingo sheepishly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the hamper on her front porch, looking out over the plateau and relaxing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Giraffe. Do come again."

"Just a minute," vowed Mister Giraffe caustically. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dingo sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied stealthily.