Mister Skunk And The New Neighbor

Mister Skunk lived in an arroyo in a palace made of limestone. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover borscht, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" squeaked Mister Skunk demurely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cosmopolitan?"

"I can't stay," begged Mrs. Groundhog. I just want to ask you what you think of the ape that's come to the arroyo.

"I really don't know," commented Mister Skunk. "I didn't know about any ape. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," spouted Mrs. Groundhog victoriously. "I heard that this ape likes to chisel microphones."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Groundhog, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the arroyo when we get a lot of apes chiseling microphones?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" sniveled Mrs. Groundhog.

"Appoint a committee?" acknowledged Mister Skunk, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Groundhog had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," reminded Mister Skunk unabashedly, 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. Groundhog caustically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," prattled Mister Skunk wearily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the cupboard on his front porch, looking out over the arroyo and looking puzzled. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Groundhog. Do come again."

"Just a minute," clarified Mrs. Groundhog cleverly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

Mrs. Groundhog 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 awkwardly.