Mister Lemur And The New Neighbor

Mister Lemur lived on a veld in a sand castle made of old bottles. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover enchiladas, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Owl standing there, her hands on her pancreas. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Owl," Mister Lemur explained, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," murmured Mrs. Owl. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" emphasized Mister Lemur arrogantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a soda?"

"I can't stay," murmured Mrs. Owl. I just want to ask you what you think of the deer that's come to the veld.

"I really don't know," stated Mister Lemur. "I didn't know about any deer. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," concluded Mrs. Owl firmly. "I heard that this deer likes to fold cans of beans."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Owl, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the veld when we get a lot of deer folding cans of beans?"

"I can't imagine," stammered Mister Lemur.

"What are we going to do about it?" brought up Mrs. Owl.

"Appoint a committee?" spewed Mister Lemur, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Owl had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," bellowed Mister Lemur gratefully, 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. Owl repeatedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yammered Mister Lemur silently, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the chair on his front porch, looking out over the veld and raising an eyebrow. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Owl. Do come again."

"Just a minute," lamented Mrs. Owl kindly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Lemur sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied thankfully.