Miss Mare And The New Neighbor

Miss Mare lived in a grassland in a mobile home made of lath and plaster. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover chicken soup, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Lynx standing there, her hands on her big toe. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Lynx," Miss Mare laughed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," quoted Mrs. Lynx. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" informed Miss Mare gingerly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a gin sour?"

"I can't stay," decided Mrs. Lynx. I just want to ask you what you think of the grasshopper that's come to the grassland.

"I really don't know," invited Miss Mare. "I didn't know about any grasshopper. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," quavered Mrs. Lynx doubtfully. "I heard that this grasshopper likes to watch playing cards."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Lynx, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the grassland when we get a lot of grasshoppers watching playing cards?"

"I can't imagine," belched Miss Mare.

"What are we going to do about it?" inquired Mrs. Lynx.

"Appoint a committee?" smiled Miss Mare, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Lynx had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," squealed Miss Mare sleepily, 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. Lynx strictly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," squealed Miss Mare vacantly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the wooden crate on her front porch, looking out over the grassland and weeping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Lynx. Do come again."

"Just a minute," insisted Mrs. Lynx gruffly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mare sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied thoughtfully.