Mister Crocodile And The New Neighbor

Mister Crocodile lived on a savanna in a tent made of stucco. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover hamburgers, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Honeybee standing there, her hands on her hangnail. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Honeybee," Mister Crocodile revealed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," whimpered Mrs. Honeybee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" called Mister Crocodile roughly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of Gatorade?"

"I can't stay," screamed Mrs. Honeybee. I just want to ask you what you think of the cockroach that's come to the savanna.

"I really don't know," admitted Mister Crocodile. "I didn't know about any cockroach. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," griped Mrs. Honeybee carelessly. "I heard that this cockroach likes to reinforce Hostess Ding Dongs."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Honeybee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the savanna when we get a lot of cockroaches reinforcing Hostess Ding Dongs?"

"I can't imagine," sobbed Mister Crocodile.

"What are we going to do about it?" snarled Mrs. Honeybee.

"Appoint a committee?" divulged Mister Crocodile, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Honeybee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," blathered Mister Crocodile valiantly, 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. Honeybee slyly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," clarified Mister Crocodile unnaturally, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bar stool on his front porch, looking out over the savanna and sweating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Honeybee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," reacted Mrs. Honeybee fiercely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Crocodile sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied carelessly.