Miss Badger And The New Neighbor

Miss Badger lived beside a creek in a manor made of peat moss. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover borscht, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" voiced Miss Badger coldly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Bloody Mary?"

"I can't stay," lectured Mister Antelope. I just want to ask you what you think of the lemur that's come to the creek.

"I really don't know," howled Miss Badger. "I didn't know about any lemur. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," burbled Mister Antelope gruffly. "I heard that this lemur likes to stash lemons."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Antelope, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the creek when we get a lot of lemurs stashing lemons?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" debated Mister Antelope.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," reasoned Miss Badger grimly, 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 Antelope blissfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hinted Miss Badger angrily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bed on her front porch, looking out over the creek and grumbling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Antelope. Do come again."

"Just a minute," maintained Mister Antelope resignedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

Mister Antelope 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 fearfully.