Mister Bumblebee And The New Neighbor

Mister Bumblebee lived in a hayfield in a brownstone made of lace. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg rolls, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Cockatiel standing there, her hands on her foot. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Cockatiel," Mister Bumblebee accused, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," scoffed Mrs. Cockatiel. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" joked Mister Bumblebee coldly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of KoolAid?"

"I can't stay," piped up Mrs. Cockatiel. I just want to ask you what you think of the donkey that's come to the hayfield.

"I really don't know," divulged Mister Bumblebee. "I didn't know about any donkey. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," groaned Mrs. Cockatiel timidly. "I heard that this donkey likes to whack calling cards."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Cockatiel, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hayfield when we get a lot of donkeys whacking calling cards?"

"I can't imagine," chortled Mister Bumblebee.

"What are we going to do about it?" groveled Mrs. Cockatiel.

"Appoint a committee?" spoke up Mister Bumblebee, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Cockatiel had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," imitated Mister Bumblebee surreptitiously, 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. Cockatiel positively. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," articulated Mister Bumblebee frantically, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the washstand on his front porch, looking out over the hayfield and leering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Cockatiel. Do come again."

"Just a minute," guessed Mrs. Cockatiel daringly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Bumblebee sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied queerly.