Mister Buffalo And The New Neighbor

Mister Buffalo lived in a cave in a barracks made of stucco. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover succotash, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Hyena standing there, his hands on his tail. "How nice to see you, Mister Hyena," Mister Buffalo fumed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," spoke up Mister Hyena. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" affirmed Mister Buffalo deliberately, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a shot of bourbon?"

"I can't stay," spouted Mister Hyena. I just want to ask you what you think of the goldfish that's come to the cave.

"I really don't know," intimated Mister Buffalo. "I didn't know about any goldfish. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," asserted Mister Hyena deftly. "I heard that this goldfish likes to catch mirrors."

"Um, I don't know what to say," scoffed Mister Buffalo, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Hyena, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cave when we get a lot of goldfish catching mirrors?"

"I can't imagine," begged Mister Buffalo.

"What are we going to do about it?" retorted Mister Hyena.

"Appoint a committee?" moaned Mister Buffalo, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Hyena had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Hyena recklessly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," bragged Mister Buffalo hopelessly, who wanted to bring the conversation to a close quickly, without finding himself on this committee.

"I'd like for you to be on the committee," said Mister Hyena intensely. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," mentioned Mister Buffalo fiercely, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the pedestal on his front porch, looking out over the cave and hollering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Hyena. Do come again."

"Just a minute," screamed Mister Hyena peevishly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Buffalo thought he had answered, and was beginning to get passionate. "Thank you so much for thinking of me. It is a lovely day, isn't it? How is Mrs. Hyena doing these days?"

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

Mister Buffalo sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied greedily.