Mister Canary And The New Neighbor

Mister Canary lived on a range in a housing project made of banana leaves. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover blueberry pie, when he heard a knock at the door.

He hobbled 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 artery. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Cockatiel," Mister Canary whispered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," raved Mrs. Cockatiel. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" comforted Mister Canary timidly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of Kool-Aid?"

"I can't stay," professed Mrs. Cockatiel. I just want to ask you what you think of the anteater that's come to the range.

"I really don't know," moaned Mister Canary. "I didn't know about any anteater. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," squeaked Mrs. Cockatiel haughtily. "I heard that this anteater likes to grapple carrots."

"Um, I don't know what to say," rambled Mister Canary, 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 range when we get a lot of anteaters grappling carrots?"

"I can't imagine," trumpeted Mister Canary.

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

"Appoint a committee?" expressed Mister Canary, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Cockatiel had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," groaned Mister Canary calmly, 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 deliberately. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," spouted Mister Canary recklessly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the windowsill on his front porch, looking out over the range and getting frazzled. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Cockatiel. Do come again."

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

Mister Canary thought he had answered, and was beginning to get spindly. "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 Canary sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied roughly.