I would like to share with you the apparent proper etiquette in greeting
ones neighbors, as determined by Mini-Me:
 
I have lovely neighbors: husband and wife, who live a few doors down from
me.  Both were deathly ill not too long ago.  It was touch and go for
Mary.  She is just regaining her voice now.  Spent 8 days in and out of
the hospital.  Has an HMO.  Almost died before she recieved proper care.
 
So here she is now, come to chat and see how the new gift I am inventing
for GCFA is coming along.  I have already required her services with the
round saw.  Still so weak, that the walk of a few yards has her woozy.
 
No sooner has she walked in with her back to the sofa-when Mini-Me takes a
flying leap.  She lands on Mary's back, scampers up to her neck, snuffles
around the ear with that pointed little weasel snout.Snuffle, snuffle,
snuffle, raspy licks... Meanwhile, Mary has frozen stark still, with her
neck scrunched tight as could be, goose bumps popped up all over her arms,
and her eye lids wrinkle-sealed shut:
 
-She is emitting muffled screams over and over--- I think she is doing the
ferret muffled shriek laugh we all do when our ferret suddenly lands in our
bowl of Jell-O, or does the bathe-nip thing when we get out of the shower,
and we find ourselves hopping on one foot-afraid we will land on a ferret
who is licking and nipping our feet.
 
Mini-Me the acro-bat, hops to the top of Mary's head quick as a wink, and
leap-flies to the couch.  She squirrel-leaps off the couch, dancing
backwards: head and upper body shaking side to side,
chattering-chucka-chucka, chucka out of the room.
 
Mary knows how lucky she was that Mini-Me did not bite her neck or ears or
face.  She has seen me carry around some doozy marks from little Mini-Me.
She took the whole thing very well, really.  She was chuckling before she
left.  (And yes--I had already made sure Mini-Me got a rabies shot.)
 
Mary said it might be awhile before she was strong enough to visit again.
I understood completely. :-)
 
This then, is The proper etiquette in how to greet your neighbor, as
determined by Mini-Me.
 
Next: let us discuss what to do about that HMO doctor who says that you
have the worst infection that he has seen in years, but gives you the
mildest antibiotic in the smallest dose, and won't admit you to the
hospital.  Mini-Me: would you be so kind as to demonstrate?  That meat
head who thinks he has a crush on me is at the door again...
 
Lisette.
[Posted in FML issue 3494]