Miss Hamster And The New Neighbor

Miss Hamster lived on a mesa in a parsonage made of bark. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Cheerios, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Mole standing there, his hands on his knee. "How nice to see you, Mister Mole," Miss Hamster yammered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," yawned Mister Mole. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" vouched Miss Hamster confidently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a rum and Coke?"

"I can't stay," jeered Mister Mole. I just want to ask you what you think of the fox that's come to the mesa.

"I really don't know," lectured Miss Hamster. "I didn't know about any fox. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," retorted Mister Mole anxiously. "I heard that this fox likes to chop buttons."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Mole, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mesa when we get a lot of foxes chopping buttons?"

"I can't imagine," vowed Miss Hamster.

"What are we going to do about it?" expressed Mister Mole.

"Appoint a committee?" interrupted Miss Hamster, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Mole had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," reasoned Miss Hamster carelessly, 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 Mole brightly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," inquired Miss Hamster hopefully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the pool table on her front porch, looking out over the mesa and scribbling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Mole. Do come again."

"Just a minute," griped Mister Mole steadily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Hamster sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied jokingly.