Miss Lion And The New Neighbor

Miss Lion lived alongside a stream in a chateau made of hide. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover crab rangoon, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Chicken standing there, his hands on his pinky. "How nice to see you, Mister Chicken," Miss Lion taunted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," said Mister Chicken. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" snorted Miss Lion intensely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of orange juice?"

"I can't stay," begged Mister Chicken. I just want to ask you what you think of the colt that's come to the stream.

"I really don't know," smiled Miss Lion. "I didn't know about any colt. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," guessed Mister Chicken excitedly. "I heard that this colt likes to fortify abacuses."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Chicken, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the stream when we get a lot of colts fortifying abacuses?"

"I can't imagine," sniffed Miss Lion.

"What are we going to do about it?" guessed Mister Chicken.

"Appoint a committee?" thought Miss Lion, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Chicken had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," sniffed Miss Lion dreamily, 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 Chicken dubiously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," cackled Miss Lion angrily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bench on her front porch, looking out over the stream and slobbering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Chicken. Do come again."

"Just a minute," intoned Mister Chicken impatiently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Lion sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied perkily.