Miss Dolphin And The New Neighbor

Miss Dolphin lived in a glen in a subway tunnel made of tissue. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cotton candy, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Goldfish standing there, her hands on her pinky. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Goldfish," Miss Dolphin spewed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," hummed Mrs. Goldfish. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" insisted Miss Dolphin majestically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an Alka-Seltzer?"

"I can't stay," preached Mrs. Goldfish. I just want to ask you what you think of the teddy bear that's come to the glen.

"I really don't know," jeered Miss Dolphin. "I didn't know about any teddy bear. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," opined Mrs. Goldfish calmly. "I heard that this teddy bear likes to shorten floppy disks."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Goldfish, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the glen when we get a lot of teddy bears shortening floppy disks?"

"I can't imagine," indicated Miss Dolphin.

"What are we going to do about it?" guessed Mrs. Goldfish.

"Appoint a committee?" boomed Miss Dolphin, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Goldfish had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," debated Miss Dolphin stealthily, 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. Goldfish sleepily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," argued Miss Dolphin grimly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the dining table on her front porch, looking out over the glen and digesting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Goldfish. Do come again."

"Just a minute," rambled Mrs. Goldfish suddenly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Dolphin sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied grudgingly.