Miss Gnu And The New Neighbor

Miss Gnu lived on a mountainside in a trough made of flax. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cookies, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Giraffe standing there, his hands on his cheek. "How nice to see you, Mister Giraffe," Miss Gnu mouthed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," wailed Mister Giraffe. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" giggled Miss Gnu lovingly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a tequila sunrise?"

"I can't stay," agreed Mister Giraffe. I just want to ask you what you think of the colt that's come to the mountainside.

"I really don't know," responded Miss Gnu. "I didn't know about any colt. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sniveled Mister Giraffe neatly. "I heard that this colt likes to squash snails."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Giraffe, 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 colts squashing snails?"

"I can't imagine," clarified Miss Gnu.

"What are we going to do about it?" yawned Mister Giraffe.

"Appoint a committee?" snorted Miss Gnu, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Giraffe had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," shuddered Miss Gnu menacingly, 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 Giraffe offhandedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," reacted Miss Gnu softly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the windowsill on her front porch, looking out over the mountainside and awakening. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Giraffe. Do come again."

"Just a minute," lectured Mister Giraffe positively. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Gnu sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied numbly.