Miss Kitten And The New Neighbor

Miss Kitten lived in a canyon in a bungalow made of chicken feathers. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover biscuits and gravy, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Raccoon standing there, his hands on his neck. "How nice to see you, Mister Raccoon," Miss Kitten comforted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," announced Mister Raccoon. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" recited Miss Kitten silently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a martini?"

"I can't stay," proposed Mister Raccoon. I just want to ask you what you think of the basset hound that's come to the canyon.

"I really don't know," warbled Miss Kitten. "I didn't know about any basset hound. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sobbed Mister Raccoon despondently. "I heard that this basset hound likes to submerse bilge pumps."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Raccoon, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the canyon when we get a lot of basset hounds submersing bilge pumps?"

"I can't imagine," piped up Miss Kitten.

"What are we going to do about it?" tittered Mister Raccoon.

"Appoint a committee?" chuckled Miss Kitten, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Raccoon had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," said Miss Kitten softly, 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 Raccoon fondly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," rumored Miss Kitten innocently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the floor on her front porch, looking out over the canyon and glowering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Raccoon. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sniped Mister Raccoon strangely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Kitten sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied brightly.