Mister Meerkat And The New Neighbor

Mister Meerkat lived on a cliff in a sod house made of ivory. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover apple pie, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Tsetse fly standing there, his hands on his liver. "How nice to see you, Mister Tsetse fly," Mister Meerkat invited, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," wept Mister Tsetse fly. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" blustered Mister Meerkat sagely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Seven and Seven?"

"I can't stay," argued Mister Tsetse fly. I just want to ask you what you think of the mouse that's come to the cliff.

"I really don't know," screamed Mister Meerkat. "I didn't know about any mouse. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," scoffed Mister Tsetse fly tensely. "I heard that this mouse likes to poke church keys."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Tsetse fly, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cliff when we get a lot of mice poking church keys?"

"I can't imagine," cried Mister Meerkat.

"What are we going to do about it?" admitted Mister Tsetse fly.

"Appoint a committee?" griped Mister Meerkat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Tsetse fly had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Tsetse fly haughtily. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," brought up Mister Meerkat narrowly, 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 Tsetse fly timidly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," bawled Mister Meerkat timidly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the rocking chair on his front porch, looking out over the cliff and dealing cards. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Tsetse fly. Do come again."

"Just a minute," roared Mister Tsetse fly sternly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Meerkat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied boldly.