Miss Musk-ox And The New Neighbor

Miss Musk-ox lived on a path in a mud hut made of cotton. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pumpkin pie, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Pigeon standing there, his hands on his tooth. "How nice to see you, Mister Pigeon," Miss Musk-ox squeaked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," chuckled Mister Pigeon. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" rebutted Miss Musk-ox lickety-split, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a daiquiri?"

"I can't stay," raved Mister Pigeon. I just want to ask you what you think of the skunk that's come to the path.

"I really don't know," debated Miss Musk-ox. "I didn't know about any skunk. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," chortled Mister Pigeon boisterously. "I heard that this skunk likes to propel bagpipes."

"Um, I don't know what to say," pointed out Miss Musk-ox, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Pigeon, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the path when we get a lot of skunks propelling bagpipes?"

"I can't imagine," maintained Miss Musk-ox.

"What are we going to do about it?" croaked Mister Pigeon.

"Appoint a committee?" uttered Miss Musk-ox, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Pigeon had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," lectured Miss Musk-ox shyly, 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 Pigeon coolly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," pointed out Miss Musk-ox primly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the settee on her front porch, looking out over the path and shaking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Pigeon. Do come again."

"Just a minute," murmured Mister Pigeon steadily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Musk-ox sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied angrily.