Miss Lovebird And The New Neighbor

Miss Lovebird lived at an oasis in a motel made of straw bales. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cabbage rolls, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mister Honeybee standing there, his hands on his skull. "How nice to see you, Mister Honeybee," Miss Lovebird provoked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," asked Mister Honeybee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" roared Miss Lovebird demurely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Bacardi?"

"I can't stay," belched Mister Honeybee. I just want to ask you what you think of the monster that's come to the oasis.

"I really don't know," added Miss Lovebird. "I didn't know about any monster. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," snarled Mister Honeybee hungrily. "I heard that this monster likes to shave sticks of gum."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Honeybee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the oasis when we get a lot of monsters shaving sticks of gum?"

"I can't imagine," sniffed Miss Lovebird.

"What are we going to do about it?" rambled Mister Honeybee.

"Appoint a committee?" noted Miss Lovebird, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Honeybee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," answered Miss Lovebird flightily, 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 Honeybee fearlessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," explained Miss Lovebird woefully, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the TV on her front porch, looking out over the oasis and pacing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Honeybee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," suggested Mister Honeybee accidentally. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Lovebird sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied impatiently.