Miss Phantom And The New Neighbor

Miss Phantom lived alongside a stream in a cabin made of palm leaves. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover burritos, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Gecko standing there, her hands on her skull. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gecko," Miss Phantom blustered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," pronounced Mrs. Gecko. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" comforted Miss Phantom uselessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of orange juice?"

"I can't stay," snarled Mrs. Gecko. I just want to ask you what you think of the lark that's come to the stream.

"I really don't know," opined Miss Phantom. "I didn't know about any lark. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," whined Mrs. Gecko humbly. "I heard that this lark likes to uncover accordions."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Gecko, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the stream when we get a lot of larks uncovering accordions?"

"I can't imagine," yawned Miss Phantom.

"What are we going to do about it?" burbled Mrs. Gecko.

"Appoint a committee?" snarled Miss Phantom, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Gecko had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," queried Miss Phantom pityingly, 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. Gecko cunningly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," simpered Miss Phantom wearily, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the stairway on her front porch, looking out over the stream and relaxing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gecko. Do come again."

"Just a minute," acknowledged Mrs. Gecko numbly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Phantom sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied primly.