Miss Hedgehog And The New Neighbor

Miss Hedgehog lived in a village in a cabin made of brick. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover candy, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Bullfrog standing there, her hands on her liver. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Bullfrog," Miss Hedgehog responded, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," sniffed Mrs. Bullfrog. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" raved Miss Hedgehog dolefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of grape juice?"

"I can't stay," hollered Mrs. Bullfrog. I just want to ask you what you think of the hawk that's come to the village.

"I really don't know," blathered Miss Hedgehog. "I didn't know about any hawk. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," groaned Mrs. Bullfrog openly. "I heard that this hawk likes to wiggle tickets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Bullfrog, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the village when we get a lot of hawks wiggling tickets?"

"I can't imagine," yammered Miss Hedgehog.

"What are we going to do about it?" persisted Mrs. Bullfrog.

"Appoint a committee?" argued Miss Hedgehog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Bullfrog had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," whined Miss Hedgehog valiantly, 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. Bullfrog quietly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," intimated Miss Hedgehog awkwardly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the computer on her front porch, looking out over the village and turning blue. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Bullfrog. Do come again."

"Just a minute," responded Mrs. Bullfrog intensely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Hedgehog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied solemnly.