Mister Deer And The New Neighbor

Mister Deer lived in a gully in a farmhouse made of pipe cleaners. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover brownies, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Fish standing there, her hands on her hip. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Fish," Mister Deer mentioned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," exclaimed Mrs. Fish. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" spouted Mister Deer sweetly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Jack Daniel's?"

"I can't stay," phrased Mrs. Fish. I just want to ask you what you think of the meerkat that's come to the gully.

"I really don't know," offered Mister Deer. "I didn't know about any meerkat. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," shuddered Mrs. Fish positively. "I heard that this meerkat likes to fortify carrots."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Fish, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gully when we get a lot of meerkats fortifying carrots?"

"I can't imagine," breathed Mister Deer.

"What are we going to do about it?" sniped Mrs. Fish.

"Appoint a committee?" emphasized Mister Deer, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Fish had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," squealed Mister Deer dolefully, 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. Fish happily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," mouthed Mister Deer craftily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the fainting couch on his front porch, looking out over the gully and dressing up. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Fish. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sneered Mrs. Fish mysteriously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Deer sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied dolefully.