Mister Yeti And The New Neighbor

Mister Yeti lived in a jungle in a brownstone made of chocolate. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover chicken gumbo, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Dodo bird standing there, her hands on her belly. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dodo bird," Mister Yeti offered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," taunted Mrs. Dodo bird. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" mouthed Mister Yeti doubtfully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a tequila sunrise?"

"I can't stay," sighed Mrs. Dodo bird. I just want to ask you what you think of the Pekingese that's come to the jungle.

"I really don't know," insisted Mister Yeti. "I didn't know about any Pekingese. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," trumpeted Mrs. Dodo bird carefully. "I heard that this Pekingese likes to freeze paintings."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dodo bird, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the jungle when we get a lot of Pekingeses freezing paintings?"

"I can't imagine," disputed Mister Yeti.

"What are we going to do about it?" griped Mrs. Dodo bird.

"Appoint a committee?" squealed Mister Yeti, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dodo bird had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Dodo bird noisily. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," fretted Mister Yeti happily, 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. Dodo bird mysteriously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," concluded Mister Yeti smoothly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the stairway on his front porch, looking out over the jungle and chortling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dodo bird. Do come again."

"Just a minute," blurted Mrs. Dodo bird pitifully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Yeti sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied hysterically.