Mister Skunk And The New Neighbor

Mister Skunk lived on a tundra in a hovel made of nuts and bolts. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover tofu, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Gazelle standing there, her hands on her shoulder. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gazelle," Mister Skunk said, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," rebutted Mrs. Gazelle. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" retorted Mister Skunk dubiously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an Irish Coffee?"

"I can't stay," proposed Mrs. Gazelle. I just want to ask you what you think of the mustang that's come to the tundra.

"I really don't know," requested Mister Skunk. "I didn't know about any mustang. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," queried Mrs. Gazelle suddenly. "I heard that this mustang likes to hoist bags of ice."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Gazelle, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the tundra when we get a lot of mustangs hoisting bags of ice?"

"I can't imagine," added Mister Skunk.

"What are we going to do about it?" exploded Mrs. Gazelle.

"Appoint a committee?" spoke up Mister Skunk, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Gazelle had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," indicated Mister Skunk obediently, 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. Gazelle cleverly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," expressed Mister Skunk woodenly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the buffet on his front porch, looking out over the tundra and grimacing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gazelle. Do come again."

"Just a minute," orated Mrs. Gazelle clumsily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Skunk sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied roughly.