Miss Bumblebee And The New Neighbor

Miss Bumblebee lived at a dump in a duplex made of fabric. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover duck a l'orange, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Buffalo standing there, her hands on her mouth. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Buffalo," Miss Bumblebee added, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," warbled Mrs. Buffalo. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yowled Miss Bumblebee admiringly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Sangría?"

"I can't stay," purred Mrs. Buffalo. I just want to ask you what you think of the spider that's come to the dump.

"I really don't know," explained Miss Bumblebee. "I didn't know about any spider. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," snarled Mrs. Buffalo fervently. "I heard that this spider likes to abuse cigarettes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Buffalo, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the dump when we get a lot of spiders abusing cigarettes?"

"I can't imagine," yelled Miss Bumblebee.

"What are we going to do about it?" demanded Mrs. Buffalo.

"Appoint a committee?" giggled Miss Bumblebee, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Buffalo had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," wailed Miss Bumblebee merrily, 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. Buffalo viciously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," explained Miss Bumblebee curiously, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the washing machine on her front porch, looking out over the dump and rocking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Buffalo. Do come again."

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

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

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

Miss Bumblebee sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied offhandedly.