Mister Mongoose And The New Neighbor

Mister Mongoose lived beside a river in a travel trailer made of styrofoam. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Hamburger Helper, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Chicken standing there, his hands on his eyelash. "How nice to see you, Mister Chicken," Mister Mongoose barked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," expressed Mister Chicken. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" babbled Mister Mongoose sympathetically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Dr. Pepper?"

"I can't stay," answered Mister Chicken. I just want to ask you what you think of the dodo bird that's come to the river.

"I really don't know," snorted Mister Mongoose. "I didn't know about any dodo bird. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," insisted Mister Chicken brightly. "I heard that this dodo bird likes to mend avocados."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Chicken, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the river when we get a lot of dodo birds mending avocados?"

"I can't imagine," roared Mister Mongoose.

"What are we going to do about it?" cackled Mister Chicken.

"Appoint a committee?" revealed Mister Mongoose, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Chicken had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Chicken diligently. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," joked Mister Mongoose tensely, 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 Mister Chicken woefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," stated Mister Mongoose impatiently, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the coat rack on his front porch, looking out over the river and stretching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Chicken. Do come again."

"Just a minute," brought up Mister Chicken swiftly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Mongoose sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied happily.