Miss Giraffe And The New Neighbor

Miss Giraffe lived on a ridge in a yurt made of silver. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Hamburger Helper, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Shrew standing there, her hands on her hangnail. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Shrew," Miss Giraffe analyzed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," jeered Mrs. Shrew. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" retorted Miss Giraffe effortlessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mojito?"

"I can't stay," screeched Mrs. Shrew. I just want to ask you what you think of the bat that's come to the ridge.

"I really don't know," intoned Miss Giraffe. "I didn't know about any bat. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," asked Mrs. Shrew vacantly. "I heard that this bat likes to feel dollar bills."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Shrew, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the ridge when we get a lot of bats feeling dollar bills?"

"I can't imagine," grieved Miss Giraffe.

"What are we going to do about it?" wailed Mrs. Shrew.

"Appoint a committee?" vowed Miss Giraffe, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Shrew had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," interpreted Miss Giraffe angrily, 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. Shrew hastily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," declared Miss Giraffe sharply, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the futon on her front porch, looking out over the ridge and snoring. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Shrew. Do come again."

"Just a minute," called Mrs. Shrew shyly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Giraffe sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied gingerly.