“I feel like I’m being watched,” she 说 to herself.
And she was being watched…
…by Shirley Rat, the nosiest person in town.
“I see you’re using 紫丁香, 丁香 bubble bath,” 说 Shirley. “I personally prefer rose.”
Mrs. Davis pulled down the shade.
“I 爱情 to know what’s going on,” 说 Shirley. “I don’t get paid for it—it’s my hobby.”
And Shirley’s hobby kept her very busy.
阅读 other people’s mail took half the morning.
“You learn such interesting things,” 说 Shirley.
Listening in on private telephone conversations, Shirley sometimes forgot to fix lunch for her kids.
“First things first,” 说 Shirley.
In the afternoon Shirley did lots of 史努比 things—like poking around in other people’s shopping carts.
“Can 你 really afford this expensive brand?” she 说 to Mrs. Butler.
And at night, while people were watching television, Shirley 鼠, 大鼠 was watching them.
“There’s a 更多 amusing program on Channel Five,” 说 Shirley.
Sometimes Shirley wore a disguise.
“I can find out 更多 if people don’t recognize me,” she said.
“There’s that nosey Shirley Rat,” whispered one of her neighbors.
Most folks had gotten used to Shirley’s little ways.
“There’s one in every town,” they said.
But not everyone was so understanding.
“I hate that Mrs. Rat,” 说 Brewster Blackstone, who lived 下一个 door. “She makes my life miserable.”
Brewster Blackstone couldn’t get away with a thing.
“Shouldn’t 你 boys be in school?” 说 Shirley, just when Brewster and his gang thought they were safe.
“I’m so sorry to hear Brewster flunked history,” 说 Shirley to Mr. Blackstone.
“He did?” 说 Brewster’s dad. “That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
Brewster Blackstone was grounded for a whole week.
And he had plenty of time to think.
“This calls for a creative solution,” 说 Brewster.
One afternoon, while Shirley 鼠, 大鼠 was engaged in her 最喜爱的 activity, something attracted her attention.
“Hmm,” 说 Shirley.
The postman had just delivered a large and interesting package to Brewster.
“Ooh, ooh,” 说 Shirley. “I wonder what’s inside.”
“Brewster, dear,” 说 Shirley in her sweetest voice, “what is in that large and interesting package the postman just delivered?”
“None of your beeswax,” 说 Brewster.
And he hung up.
“How rude,” 说 Shirley. “I’ll find out what’s in that package if it’s the last thing I do!”
Using her special sticky shoes, Shirley scaled the Blackstones’ house to get a look in Brewster’s window.
But Brewster had pulled down the shade.
下一个 Shirley sifted through the Blackstones’ garbage.
“You’ll never know what clues you’ll find,” she said.
But the Blackstones’ garbage gave Shirley no clues.
Shirley tried to disguise herself to get inside Brewster’s room.
“I’m the Roach Patrol,” 说 Shirley.
“I know who 你 are,” 说 Mrs. Blackstone.
At home, Shirley had trouble concentrating.
“That package is really none of your business,” 说 her husband.
But he wasn’t heard.
Shirley went to the park to sit and think.
Suddenly she spotted a small envelope marked CONFIDENTIAL—DO NOT OPEN.
“Oh goody,” 说 Shirley.
The card read: SNEAK PREVIEW—INVITATION ONLY BREWSTER BLACKSTONE’S BACKYARD AT 8.
“I love sneak previews!” 说 Shirley.
At Brewster’s Shirley took a front-row seat.
The film began.
“Oh my,” 说 Shirley. “There is nothing worse than a nosey neighbor.”
Suddenly, for everyone to see, there was Shirley 鼠, 大鼠 up to her old tricks—snooping shamelessly.
The audience began to laugh out loud.
“What’s so funny?” 说 Shirley.
And when the film showed Shirley trying different ways to peek in Brewster’s window, someone called out, “That’s our Nosey Mrs. Rat.”
“Nosey?” 说 Shirley. “Nosey?”
Soon the audience was in hysterics.
They laughed so hard they fell out of their seats.
Shirley made a quick exit.
“I’m so humiliated!” she said.
At 首页 Shirley went straight to bed.
“I’ll never snoop again,” she said.
“There, there,” 说 her husband. “Perhaps 你 can save snooping for special occasions.”
“Oh, no,” 说 Shirley. “I’m finished with all that.”
“Well, 你 have a nice rest, dear,” 说 Mr. Rat.
And he gently closed the door.
“Hmmm,” 说 Shirley.
“Well, perhaps for special occasions…”
