Miss Kitten And The New Neighbor

Miss Kitten lived in a gully in a junk car made of plaster. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lime sherbet, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Troll standing there, her hands on her front tooth. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Troll," Miss Kitten hinted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," warbled Mrs. Troll. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," reasoned Mrs. Troll. I just want to ask you what you think of the jaguar that's come to the gully.

"I really don't know," peeped Miss Kitten. "I didn't know about any jaguar. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," groaned Mrs. Troll tensely. "I heard that this jaguar likes to bathe Barbie dolls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Troll, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gully when we get a lot of jaguars bathing Barbie dolls?"

"I can't imagine," repeated Miss Kitten.

"What are we going to do about it?" hummed Mrs. Troll.

"Appoint a committee?" asserted Miss Kitten, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Troll had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," alleged Miss Kitten repeatedly, 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. Troll proudly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," grunted Miss Kitten nimbly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the workbench on her front porch, looking out over the gully and chortling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Troll. Do come again."

"Just a minute," questioned Mrs. Troll furiously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

Mrs. Troll 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 bitterly.