Mister Rabbit And The New Neighbor

Mister Rabbit lived on a mesa in a barracks made of chewing gum. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover chicken chow mein, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Camel standing there, her hands on her larynx. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Camel," Mister Rabbit quoted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," mouthed Mrs. Camel. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" gabbed Mister Rabbit despondently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a margarita?"

"I can't stay," warbled Mrs. Camel. I just want to ask you what you think of the pelican that's come to the mesa.

"I really don't know," squealed Mister Rabbit. "I didn't know about any pelican. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sniped Mrs. Camel arrogantly. "I heard that this pelican likes to slice Big Gulps."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Camel, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mesa when we get a lot of pelicans slicing Big Gulps?"

"I can't imagine," interrupted Mister Rabbit.

"What are we going to do about it?" screamed Mrs. Camel.

"Appoint a committee?" groveled Mister Rabbit, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Camel had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," winked Mister Rabbit suddenly, 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. Camel grandly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," responded Mister Rabbit happily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the card table on his front porch, looking out over the mesa and jiggling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Camel. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sniveled Mrs. Camel gingerly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Rabbit sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied cruelly.