Miss Mouse And The New Neighbor

Miss Mouse lived on a moonscape in a skyscraper made of nuts and bolts. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Hamburger Helper, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Lion standing there, her hands on her thyroid gland. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Lion," Miss Mouse raved, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," growled Mrs. Lion. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" rationalized Miss Mouse proudly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of Gatorade?"

"I can't stay," ranted Mrs. Lion. I just want to ask you what you think of the shrew that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," peeped Miss Mouse. "I didn't know about any shrew. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," squeaked Mrs. Lion ignobly. "I heard that this shrew likes to fold apples."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Lion, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the moonscape when we get a lot of shrews folding apples?"

"I can't imagine," shrieked Miss Mouse.

"What are we going to do about it?" taunted Mrs. Lion.

"Appoint a committee?" insisted Miss Mouse, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Lion had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," blurted Miss Mouse deliberately, 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. Lion ruefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," declaimed Miss Mouse lamely, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the dresser on her front porch, looking out over the moonscape and meditating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Lion. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hollered Mrs. Lion dolorously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Mouse sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied excitedly.