Miss Hornet And The New Neighbor

Miss Hornet lived on a tundra in an office made of lumber. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fish and chips, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Horse standing there, her hands on her neck. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Horse," Miss Hornet enunciated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," instructed Mrs. Horse. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" wailed Miss Hornet languidly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a grape soda?"

"I can't stay," blathered Mrs. Horse. I just want to ask you what you think of the iguana that's come to the tundra.

"I really don't know," phrased Miss Hornet. "I didn't know about any iguana. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," provoked Mrs. Horse victoriously. "I heard that this iguana likes to bury daisies."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Horse, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the tundra when we get a lot of iguanas burying daisies?"

"I can't imagine," rumored Miss Hornet.

"What are we going to do about it?" laughed Mrs. Horse.

"Appoint a committee?" brought up Miss Hornet, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Horse had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," shrieked Miss Hornet nicely, 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. Horse needlessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," belched Miss Hornet nicely, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the wine rack on her front porch, looking out over the tundra and typing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Horse. Do come again."

"Just a minute," expressed Mrs. Horse reluctantly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Hornet sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sagely.