Mister Dodo Bird And The New Neighbor

Mister Dodo bird lived in a village in a farmhouse made of Tyvek. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lime sherbet, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Lobster standing there, her hands on her hairdo. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Lobster," Mister Dodo bird boomed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," repeated Mrs. Lobster. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" belched Mister Dodo bird gracefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mojito?"

"I can't stay," whined Mrs. Lobster. I just want to ask you what you think of the louse that's come to the village.

"I really don't know," babbled Mister Dodo bird. "I didn't know about any louse. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," repeated Mrs. Lobster nonchalantly. "I heard that this louse likes to handle packs of gum."

"Um, I don't know what to say," belched Mister Dodo bird, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Lobster, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the village when we get a lot of lice handling packs of gum?"

"I can't imagine," hummed Mister Dodo bird.

"What are we going to do about it?" fantasized Mrs. Lobster.

"Appoint a committee?" amended Mister Dodo bird, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Lobster had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," preached Mister Dodo bird silently, 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. Lobster nimbly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," stated Mister Dodo bird dreamily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the wardrobe on his front porch, looking out over the village and awakening. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Lobster. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hissed Mrs. Lobster glibly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Dodo bird sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied speedily.