Miss Porcupine And The New Neighbor

Miss Porcupine lived on a trail in a Cape Cod made of pipe cleaners. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover duck a l'orange, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Musk-ox standing there, his hands on his thorax. "How nice to see you, Mister Musk-ox," Miss Porcupine drawled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," chattered Mister Musk-ox. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" laughed Miss Porcupine confidently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a double latte?"

"I can't stay," stated Mister Musk-ox. I just want to ask you what you think of the camel that's come to the trail.

"I really don't know," affirmed Miss Porcupine. "I didn't know about any camel. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," preached Mister Musk-ox grimly. "I heard that this camel likes to wash tubes of toothpaste."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Musk-ox, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the trail when we get a lot of camels washing tubes of toothpaste?"

"I can't imagine," expressed Miss Porcupine.

"What are we going to do about it?" stammered Mister Musk-ox.

"Appoint a committee?" continued Miss Porcupine, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Musk-ox had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Musk-ox intensely. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," professed Miss Porcupine impatiently, 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 Musk-ox steadily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hummed Miss Porcupine sadly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the workbench on her front porch, looking out over the trail and coughing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Musk-ox. Do come again."

"Just a minute," breathed Mister Musk-ox oddly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Porcupine sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied glumly.