Miss Badger And The New Neighbor

Miss Badger lived at a dump in a log cabin made of leaves and twigs. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover succotash, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Manatee standing there, his hands on his appendix. "How nice to see you, Mister Manatee," Miss Badger proposed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," agreed Mister Manatee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" proposed Miss Badger automatically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"I can't stay," screeched Mister Manatee. I just want to ask you what you think of the mink that's come to the dump.

"I really don't know," stuttered Miss Badger. "I didn't know about any mink. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," screeched Mister Manatee unnaturally. "I heard that this mink likes to abuse African violets."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Manatee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the dump when we get a lot of minks abusing African violets?"

"I can't imagine," preached Miss Badger.

"What are we going to do about it?" howled Mister Manatee.

"Appoint a committee?" articulated Miss Badger, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Manatee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," bragged Miss Badger primly, 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 Manatee cheerfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," shouted Miss Badger greedily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the hatstand on her front porch, looking out over the dump and muttering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Manatee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," mumbled Mister Manatee gingerly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Badger sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied defiantly.