Miss Giraffe And The New Neighbor

Miss Giraffe lived in a backyard in a Spanish colonial made of reeds. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover roast turkey, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Gnu standing there, his hands on his belly button. "How nice to see you, Mister Gnu," Miss Giraffe added, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," babbled Mister Gnu. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," offered Mister Gnu. I just want to ask you what you think of the mare that's come to the backyard.

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

"Well don't be so sure," growled Mister Gnu deliberately. "I heard that this mare likes to unbutton balloons."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Gnu, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the backyard when we get a lot of mares unbuttoning balloons?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" raved Mister Gnu.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," tittered Miss Giraffe sadly, 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 Gnu wearily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," winked Miss Giraffe oddly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the ping-pong table on her front porch, looking out over the backyard and humming. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Gnu. Do come again."

"Just a minute," grunted Mister Gnu jokingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

Mister Gnu 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 fiercely.