Miss Troll And The New Neighbor

Miss Troll lived on a plateau in a monastery made of matchsticks. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover moo goo gai pan, 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 Mister Goldfish standing there, his hands on his pancreas. "How nice to see you, Mister Goldfish," Miss Troll snorted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," recited Mister Goldfish. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" grieved Miss Troll lightly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a gimlet?"

"I can't stay," shuddered Mister Goldfish. I just want to ask you what you think of the kangaroo that's come to the plateau.

"I really don't know," railed Miss Troll. "I didn't know about any kangaroo. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," belched Mister Goldfish tenderly. "I heard that this kangaroo likes to wiggle balloons."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Goldfish, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plateau when we get a lot of kangaroos wiggling balloons?"

"I can't imagine," appealed Miss Troll.

"What are we going to do about it?" indicated Mister Goldfish.

"Appoint a committee?" added Miss Troll, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Goldfish had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," sputtered Miss Troll boisterously, 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 Goldfish craftily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," alleged Miss Troll carefully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the coffee table on her front porch, looking out over the plateau and jerking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Goldfish. Do come again."

"Just a minute," vowed Mister Goldfish gently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Troll sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied greedily.