Miss Wombat And The New Neighbor

Miss Wombat lived on a savanna in a yurt made of burlap. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover candy, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Fox standing there, her hands on her tongue. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Fox," Miss Wombat exclaimed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," murmured Mrs. Fox. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" maintained Miss Wombat wryly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a whiskey sour?"

"I can't stay," chuckled Mrs. Fox. I just want to ask you what you think of the honeybee that's come to the savanna.

"I really don't know," enunciated Miss Wombat. "I didn't know about any honeybee. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," ranted Mrs. Fox innocently. "I heard that this honeybee likes to stitch hair dryers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Fox, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the savanna when we get a lot of honeybees stitching hair dryers?"

"I can't imagine," affirmed Miss Wombat.

"What are we going to do about it?" answered Mrs. Fox.

"Appoint a committee?" spat Miss Wombat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Fox had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," lectured Miss Wombat cheerfully, 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. Fox elatedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," maintained Miss Wombat unexpectedly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the windowsill on her front porch, looking out over the savanna and freezing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Fox. Do come again."

"Just a minute," mused Mrs. Fox temperamentally. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Wombat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied victoriously.