Miss Yak And The New Neighbor

Miss Yak lived on a battlefield in a chateau made of mud. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover macaroni, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Kangaroo standing there, his hands on his eyelash. "How nice to see you, Mister Kangaroo," Miss Yak judged, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," yelped Mister Kangaroo. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" cackled Miss Yak angrily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a shot of bourbon?"

"I can't stay," hinted Mister Kangaroo. I just want to ask you what you think of the nightingale that's come to the battlefield.

"I really don't know," rambled Miss Yak. "I didn't know about any nightingale. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," squealed Mister Kangaroo oddly. "I heard that this nightingale likes to sharpen stacks of papers."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Kangaroo, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the battlefield when we get a lot of nightingales sharpening stacks of papers?"

"I can't imagine," noted Miss Yak.

"What are we going to do about it?" interrupted Mister Kangaroo.

"Appoint a committee?" peeped Miss Yak, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Kangaroo had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," harangued Miss Yak hastily, 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 Kangaroo silently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," sputtered Miss Yak hopelessly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the crib on her front porch, looking out over the battlefield and crying. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Kangaroo. Do come again."

"Just a minute," raved Mister Kangaroo blissfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Yak sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied briskly.