Mister Manatee And The New Neighbor

Mister Manatee lived in a pond in a sod house made of stone. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover roast Cornish game hen, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Wallaby standing there, his hands on his little toe. "How nice to see you, Mister Wallaby," Mister Manatee divulged, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," yelped Mister Wallaby. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," taunted Mister Wallaby. I just want to ask you what you think of the Chihuahua that's come to the pond.

"I really don't know," gasped Mister Manatee. "I didn't know about any Chihuahua. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," reminded Mister Wallaby innocently. "I heard that this Chihuahua likes to stitch bags of potato chips."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Wallaby, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pond when we get a lot of Chihuahuas stitching bags of potato chips?"

"I can't imagine," rambled Mister Manatee.

"What are we going to do about it?" professed Mister Wallaby.

"Appoint a committee?" yelled Mister Manatee, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Wallaby had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," raved Mister Manatee strangely, 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 Wallaby smoothly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," demanded Mister Manatee greedily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the footstool on his front porch, looking out over the pond and swooning. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Wallaby. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sniped Mister Wallaby narrowly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Manatee sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied fiercely.