Miss Raven And The New Neighbor

Miss Raven lived beside a creek in an office made of wood. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover chicken soup, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Ladybug standing there, her hands on her larynx. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Ladybug," Miss Raven cajoled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," instructed Mrs. Ladybug. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" nattered Miss Raven delicately, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a painkiller?"

"I can't stay," drawled Mrs. Ladybug. I just want to ask you what you think of the cockroach that's come to the creek.

"I really don't know," uttered Miss Raven. "I didn't know about any cockroach. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," thought Mrs. Ladybug queerly. "I heard that this cockroach likes to loosen bags of ice."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Ladybug, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the creek when we get a lot of cockroaches loosening bags of ice?"

"I can't imagine," lectured Miss Raven.

"What are we going to do about it?" groaned Mrs. Ladybug.

"Appoint a committee?" smirked Miss Raven, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Ladybug had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," begged Miss Raven dolefully, 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. Ladybug pityingly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," exploded Miss Raven patiently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the counter on her front porch, looking out over the creek and wobbling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Ladybug. Do come again."

"Just a minute," exclaimed Mrs. Ladybug stealthily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

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