Miss Burro And The New Neighbor

Miss Burro lived in a buffalo wallow in a boxcar made of foam rubber. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover chicken pot pie, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Gorilla standing there, her hands on her larynx. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gorilla," Miss Burro blurted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," squeaked Mrs. Gorilla. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" explained Miss Burro breathlessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of hot chocolate?"

"I can't stay," quavered Mrs. Gorilla. I just want to ask you what you think of the honeybee that's come to the buffalo wallow.

"I really don't know," yelped Miss Burro. "I didn't know about any honeybee. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," wept Mrs. Gorilla wearily. "I heard that this honeybee likes to select arrowheads."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Gorilla, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the buffalo wallow when we get a lot of honeybees selecting arrowheads?"

"I can't imagine," vouched Miss Burro.

"What are we going to do about it?" scoffed Mrs. Gorilla.

"Appoint a committee?" said Miss Burro, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Gorilla had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," called Miss Burro dreamily, 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. Gorilla ferociously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," moaned Miss Burro lightly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the toilet on her front porch, looking out over the buffalo wallow and fretting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gorilla. Do come again."

"Just a minute," instructed Mrs. Gorilla brashly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Burro sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied smoothly.