Mister Jackal And The New Neighbor

Mister Jackal lived beside a river in a barracks made of cookie dough. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cotton candy, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Zebra standing there, her hands on her ankle. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Zebra," Mister Jackal worried, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," chortled Mrs. Zebra. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" repeated Mister Jackal thoughtfully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a kamikaze?"

"I can't stay," divulged Mrs. Zebra. I just want to ask you what you think of the beaver that's come to the river.

"I really don't know," snarled Mister Jackal. "I didn't know about any beaver. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," cackled Mrs. Zebra carelessly. "I heard that this beaver likes to rattle chess sets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Zebra, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the river when we get a lot of beavers rattling chess sets?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" stormed Mrs. Zebra.

"Appoint a committee?" judged Mister Jackal, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Zebra had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," whined Mister Jackal carefully, 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. Zebra greedily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," moaned Mister Jackal firmly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the washing machine on his front porch, looking out over the river and snuffling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Zebra. Do come again."

"Just a minute," exclaimed Mrs. Zebra madly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Jackal sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied frantically.