Miss Norway Rat And The New Neighbor

Miss Norway rat lived on a steppe in a cottage made of sod. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover scrambled eggs, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Polecat standing there, her hands on her nostril. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Polecat," Miss Norway rat pronounced, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," wailed Mrs. Polecat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" divulged Miss Norway rat sleepily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a gin sour?"

"I can't stay," prattled Mrs. Polecat. I just want to ask you what you think of the garter snake that's come to the steppe.

"I really don't know," pleaded Miss Norway rat. "I didn't know about any garter snake. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," pleaded Mrs. Polecat shyly. "I heard that this garter snake likes to photograph etchings."

"Um, I don't know what to say," wondered Miss Norway rat, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Polecat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the steppe when we get a lot of garter snakes photographing etchings?"

"I can't imagine," babbled Miss Norway rat.

"What are we going to do about it?" vowed Mrs. Polecat.

"Appoint a committee?" howled Miss Norway rat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Polecat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," grunted Miss Norway rat haughtily, 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. Polecat curiously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," blathered Miss Norway rat lazily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the cushion on her front porch, looking out over the steppe and crying. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Polecat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hinted Mrs. Polecat grandly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Norway rat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied hopelessly.