Mister Meerkat And The New Neighbor

Mister Meerkat lived in a desert in a cardboard box made of fur. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover doughnuts, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Toad standing there, her hands on her vein. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Toad," Mister Meerkat continued, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," joked Mrs. Toad. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" orated Mister Meerkat valiantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Sangría?"

"I can't stay," swore Mrs. Toad. I just want to ask you what you think of the colt that's come to the desert.

"I really don't know," vowed Mister Meerkat. "I didn't know about any colt. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," admitted Mrs. Toad unexpectedly. "I heard that this colt likes to bathe pairs of dice."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Toad, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the desert when we get a lot of colts bathing pairs of dice?"

"I can't imagine," mentioned Mister Meerkat.

"What are we going to do about it?" thought Mrs. Toad.

"Appoint a committee?" alleged Mister Meerkat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Toad had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," winked Mister Meerkat lightly, 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 Mrs. Toad boldly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," comforted Mister Meerkat boisterously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the sofa on his front porch, looking out over the desert and squinting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Toad. Do come again."

"Just a minute," argued Mrs. Toad roughly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Meerkat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied carelessly.