Miss Puppy And The New Neighbor

Miss Puppy lived on a mountainside in a hovel made of construction paper. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover tuna casserole, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Chameleon standing there, his hands on his tummy. "How nice to see you, Mister Chameleon," Miss Puppy cried, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," squeaked Mister Chameleon. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" fantasized Miss Puppy testily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of KoolAid?"

"I can't stay," stuttered Mister Chameleon. I just want to ask you what you think of the phantom that's come to the mountainside.

"I really don't know," gasped Miss Puppy. "I didn't know about any phantom. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," amended Mister Chameleon slowly. "I heard that this phantom likes to lynch shoes."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Chameleon, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountainside when we get a lot of phantoms lynching shoes?"

"I can't imagine," pronounced Miss Puppy.

"What are we going to do about it?" complained Mister Chameleon.

"Appoint a committee?" chuckled Miss Puppy, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Chameleon had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," hissed Miss Puppy despondently, 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 Chameleon gracefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," vowed Miss Puppy later, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the four-poster bed on her front porch, looking out over the mountainside and drooling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Chameleon. Do come again."

"Just a minute," ranted Mister Chameleon energetically. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Puppy sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied awkwardly.