Miss Giraffe And The New Neighbor

Miss Giraffe lived beside a creek in a quonset hut made of lath and plaster. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ramen noodles, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Moose standing there, her hands on her artery. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Moose," Miss Giraffe stuttered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," decided Mrs. Moose. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yelled Miss Giraffe testily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cappuccino?"

"I can't stay," stammered Mrs. Moose. I just want to ask you what you think of the fawn that's come to the creek.

"I really don't know," prattled Miss Giraffe. "I didn't know about any fawn. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," worried Mrs. Moose obediently. "I heard that this fawn likes to pierce Frisbees."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Moose, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the creek when we get a lot of fawns piercing Frisbees?"

"I can't imagine," commented Miss Giraffe.

"What are we going to do about it?" disputed Mrs. Moose.

"Appoint a committee?" blurted Miss Giraffe, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Moose had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," inquired Miss Giraffe testily, 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. Moose fearfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," realized Miss Giraffe shakily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the carpet on her front porch, looking out over the creek and dawdling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Moose. Do come again."

"Just a minute," contended Mrs. Moose haughtily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Giraffe sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied silently.