Mister Oyster And The New Neighbor

Mister Oyster lived on a peninsula in an office made of dreams and visions. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover oyster on the half-shell, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Meerkat standing there, her hands on her knee. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Meerkat," Mister Oyster smirked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," crooned Mrs. Meerkat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" squawked Mister Oyster thankfully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Manhattan?"

"I can't stay," panted Mrs. Meerkat. I just want to ask you what you think of the parrot that's come to the peninsula.

"I really don't know," wept Mister Oyster. "I didn't know about any parrot. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," added Mrs. Meerkat haughtily. "I heard that this parrot likes to chop file folders."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Meerkat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the peninsula when we get a lot of parrots chopping file folders?"

"I can't imagine," guessed Mister Oyster.

"What are we going to do about it?" avowed Mrs. Meerkat.

"Appoint a committee?" agreed Mister Oyster, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Meerkat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," rambled Mister Oyster gingerly, 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. Meerkat glibly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," articulated Mister Oyster sagely, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bookshelf on his front porch, looking out over the peninsula and shrugging. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Meerkat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," announced Mrs. Meerkat gratefully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Oyster sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied pityingly.