Mister Musk-ox And The New Neighbor

Mister Musk-ox lived in a gulch in a stinky shack made of paper. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover clam chowder, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Bumblebee standing there, her hands on her spinal cord. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Bumblebee," Mister Musk-ox voiced, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," mused Mrs. Bumblebee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" warbled Mister Musk-ox cunningly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of tomato juice?"

"I can't stay," murmured Mrs. Bumblebee. I just want to ask you what you think of the muskrat that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," declared Mister Musk-ox. "I didn't know about any muskrat. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," fantasized Mrs. Bumblebee valiantly. "I heard that this muskrat likes to rearrange magazines."

"Um, I don't know what to say," amended Mister Musk-ox, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Bumblebee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of muskrats rearranging magazines?"

"I can't imagine," added Mister Musk-ox.

"What are we going to do about it?" railed Mrs. Bumblebee.

"Appoint a committee?" growled Mister Musk-ox, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Bumblebee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," said Mister Musk-ox surreptitiously, 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. Bumblebee hopelessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," chuckled Mister Musk-ox shakily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the wooden crate on his front porch, looking out over the gulch and getting away. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Bumblebee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," comforted Mrs. Bumblebee resignedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Musk-ox sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied hopefully.