Mister Pekingese And The New Neighbor

Mister Pekingese lived in a gulch in a resort made of silver. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover doughnuts, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Troll standing there, her hands on her hoof. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Troll," Mister Pekingese complained, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," brought up Mrs. Troll. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," clarified Mrs. Troll. I just want to ask you what you think of the raven that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," mused Mister Pekingese. "I didn't know about any raven. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," hollered Mrs. Troll fearfully. "I heard that this raven likes to pick hacksaws."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Troll, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of ravens picking hacksaws?"

"I can't imagine," announced Mister Pekingese.

"What are we going to do about it?" shrieked Mrs. Troll.

"Appoint a committee?" spat Mister Pekingese, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Troll had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," wept Mister Pekingese brightly, 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. Troll gracefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yelped Mister Pekingese thankfully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bed on his front porch, looking out over the gulch and calming down. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Troll. Do come again."

"Just a minute," winked Mrs. Troll merrily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Pekingese sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied truculently.