Miss Baboon And The New Neighbor

Miss Baboon lived in a cave in an igloo made of gravel. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg salad sandwich, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Turkey standing there, his hands on his thigh. "How nice to see you, Mister Turkey," Miss Baboon mused, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," indicated Mister Turkey. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" wailed Miss Baboon reluctantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of champagne?"

"I can't stay," maintained Mister Turkey. I just want to ask you what you think of the musk-ox that's come to the cave.

"I really don't know," admitted Miss Baboon. "I didn't know about any musk-ox. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," fumed Mister Turkey primly. "I heard that this musk-ox likes to annoint peaches."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Turkey, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cave when we get a lot of musk-oxen annointing peaches?"

"I can't imagine," smiled Miss Baboon.

"What are we going to do about it?" brought up Mister Turkey.

"Appoint a committee?" answered Miss Baboon, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Turkey had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," cackled Miss Baboon properly, 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 Turkey queerly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," intoned Miss Baboon deliberately, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the bar stool on her front porch, looking out over the cave and weeping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Turkey. Do come again."

"Just a minute," alleged Mister Turkey coldly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Baboon sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied lickety-split.