Miss Jaguar And The New Neighbor

Miss Jaguar lived on a tundra in a teepee made of paper clips. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pretzels, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Cockroach standing there, her hands on her heel. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Cockroach," Miss Jaguar imitated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," fantasized Mrs. Cockroach. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sighed Miss Jaguar lickety-split, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a 7-Up?"

"I can't stay," jeered Mrs. Cockroach. I just want to ask you what you think of the shrew that's come to the tundra.

"I really don't know," pronounced Miss Jaguar. "I didn't know about any shrew. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," groveled Mrs. Cockroach defiantly. "I heard that this shrew likes to photograph buckets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Cockroach, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the tundra when we get a lot of shrews photographing buckets?"

"I can't imagine," cried Miss Jaguar.

"What are we going to do about it?" exclaimed Mrs. Cockroach.

"Appoint a committee?" jeered Miss Jaguar, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Cockroach had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," fretted Miss Jaguar violently, 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. Cockroach unabashedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yawned Miss Jaguar cruelly, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the file cabinet on her front porch, looking out over the tundra and catching up. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Cockroach. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hollered Mrs. Cockroach fearfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Jaguar sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied gleefully.