Miss Norway Rat And The New Neighbor

Miss Norway rat lived in a pasture in a Victorian mansion made of styrofoam. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover bread and butter, 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 eyelash. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Bullfrog," Miss Norway rat reasoned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," grieved Mrs. Bullfrog. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" recited Miss Norway rat victoriously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a sassafras tea?"

"I can't stay," spewed Mrs. Bullfrog. I just want to ask you what you think of the mule that's come to the pasture.

"I really don't know," guessed Miss Norway rat. "I didn't know about any mule. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," persisted Mrs. Bullfrog recklessly. "I heard that this mule likes to open fingernail clippers."

"Um, I don't know what to say," guessed Miss Norway rat, 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 pasture when we get a lot of mules opening fingernail clippers?"

"I can't imagine," continued Miss Norway rat.

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

"Appoint a committee?" wondered Miss Norway rat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Bullfrog had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," purred Miss Norway rat dolorously, 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 delicately. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," enunciated Miss Norway rat boldly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the china hutch on her front porch, looking out over the pasture and dancing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Bullfrog. Do come again."

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

Miss Norway rat thought she had answered, and was beginning to get frumpy. "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 Norway rat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied fondly.