Miss Canary And The New Neighbor

Miss Canary lived on a mesa in a teepee made of nylon. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fried eggs, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" suggested Miss Canary briskly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Jack Daniel's?"

"I can't stay," argued Mrs. Seal. I just want to ask you what you think of the hornet that's come to the mesa.

"I really don't know," emphasized Miss Canary. "I didn't know about any hornet. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," imitated Mrs. Seal energetically. "I heard that this hornet likes to reject Band-aids."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Seal, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mesa when we get a lot of hornets rejecting Band-aids?"

"I can't imagine," pointed out Miss Canary.

"What are we going to do about it?" orated Mrs. Seal.

"Appoint a committee?" howled Miss Canary, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Seal had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," peeped Miss Canary daringly, 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. Seal swiftly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," acknowledged Miss Canary woodenly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the nightstand on her front porch, looking out over the mesa and purring. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Seal. Do come again."

"Just a minute," chattered Mrs. Seal anxiously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Canary sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied silently.