Mister Kitten And The New Neighbor

Mister Kitten lived on a mountaintop in a quonset hut made of garbage. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover clam chowder, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Bumblebee standing there, her hands on her cheek. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Bumblebee," Mister Kitten announced, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," expressed Mrs. Bumblebee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" giggled Mister Kitten later, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Seven and Seven?"

"I can't stay," yelped Mrs. Bumblebee. I just want to ask you what you think of the seal that's come to the mountaintop.

"I really don't know," bawled Mister Kitten. "I didn't know about any seal. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sneered Mrs. Bumblebee wildly. "I heard that this seal likes to replace beach balls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Bumblebee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountaintop when we get a lot of seals replacing beach balls?"

"I can't imagine," pleaded Mister Kitten.

"What are we going to do about it?" phrased Mrs. Bumblebee.

"Appoint a committee?" begged Mister Kitten, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Bumblebee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," yelled Mister Kitten openly, 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. Bumblebee unnaturally. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," instructed Mister Kitten daringly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bookcase on his front porch, looking out over the mountaintop and chattering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Bumblebee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hissed Mrs. Bumblebee thoughtfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Kitten sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied recklessly.