Miss Bullfrog And The New Neighbor

Miss Bullfrog lived in a pasture in a motor home made of muslin. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pie a la mode, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Anteater standing there, his hands on his jaw. "How nice to see you, Mister Anteater," Miss Bullfrog imitated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," crooned Mister Anteater. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sneered Miss Bullfrog lickety-split, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a tonic?"

"I can't stay," peeped Mister Anteater. I just want to ask you what you think of the ferret that's come to the pasture.

"I really don't know," thought Miss Bullfrog. "I didn't know about any ferret. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," whined Mister Anteater crankily. "I heard that this ferret likes to stain ashtrays."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Anteater, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pasture when we get a lot of ferrets staining ashtrays?"

"I can't imagine," vouched Miss Bullfrog.

"What are we going to do about it?" admitted Mister Anteater.

"Appoint a committee?" bellowed Miss Bullfrog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Anteater had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," wailed Miss Bullfrog unnaturally, 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 Anteater deliberately. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," responded Miss Bullfrog shakily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the card table on her front porch, looking out over the pasture and getting along. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Anteater. Do come again."

"Just a minute," chuckled Mister Anteater awkwardly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Bullfrog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied delicately.