Miss Opossum And The New Neighbor

Miss Opossum lived in a pasture in a cardboard box made of cotton. One morning, she had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover French fries, when she heard a knock at the door.

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

She was surprised to see Mrs. Mink standing there, her hands on her shoulder. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Mink," Miss Opossum continued, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," enunciated Mrs. Mink. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" muttered Miss Opossum courteously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of Sanka?"

"I can't stay," intimated Mrs. Mink. I just want to ask you what you think of the yeti that's come to the pasture.

"I really don't know," jeered Miss Opossum. "I didn't know about any yeti. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," murmured Mrs. Mink clumsily. "I heard that this yeti likes to prohibit crackers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Mink, 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 yetis prohibiting crackers?"

"I can't imagine," moaned Miss Opossum.

"What are we going to do about it?" grunted Mrs. Mink.

"Appoint a committee?" declared Miss Opossum, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Mink had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," orated Miss Opossum timidly, 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. Mink suspiciously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," boomed Miss Opossum gently, thinking of all the time she'd prefer to be sitting on the coat rack on her front porch, looking out over the pasture and blowing up. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Mink. Do come again."

"Just a minute," explained Mrs. Mink angrily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Miss Opossum sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," she replied sheepishly.