Mister Hyena And The New Neighbor

Mister Hyena lived at a dump in a Spanish colonial made of Formica. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover country glazed ham, when he heard a knock at the door.

He cantered 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 gall bladder. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Meerkat," Mister Hyena railed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," warbled Mrs. Meerkat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" provoked Mister Hyena proudly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Harvey Wallbanger?"

"I can't stay," began Mrs. Meerkat. I just want to ask you what you think of the banana slug that's come to the dump.

"I really don't know," whined Mister Hyena. "I didn't know about any banana slug. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," hissed Mrs. Meerkat deftly. "I heard that this banana slug likes to glue flowerpots."

"Um, I don't know what to say," trumpeted Mister Hyena, 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 dump when we get a lot of banana slugs gluing flowerpots?"

"I can't imagine," sniveled Mister Hyena.

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

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," opined Mister Hyena narrowly, 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 obediently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," rambled Mister Hyena sternly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bed on his front porch, looking out over the dump and jiggling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Meerkat. Do come again."

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

Mister Hyena thought he had answered, and was beginning to get brilliant. "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 Hyena sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied narrowly.