Mister Crow And The New Neighbor

Mister Crow lived on a hill in a sod house made of rammed earth. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover prune pudding, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Ostrich standing there, her hands on her spleen. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Ostrich," Mister Crow vowed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," bragged Mrs. Ostrich. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" concluded Mister Crow slyly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Bacardi?"

"I can't stay," chortled Mrs. Ostrich. I just want to ask you what you think of the toad that's come to the hill.

"I really don't know," interrupted Mister Crow. "I didn't know about any toad. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," spat Mrs. Ostrich cunningly. "I heard that this toad likes to open dollar bills."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Ostrich, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hill when we get a lot of toads opening dollar bills?"

"I can't imagine," sputtered Mister Crow.

"What are we going to do about it?" imitated Mrs. Ostrich.

"Appoint a committee?" piped up Mister Crow, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Ostrich had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," fretted Mister Crow pityingly, 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. Ostrich truculently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," brought up Mister Crow shyly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the ottoman on his front porch, looking out over the hill and puckering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Ostrich. Do come again."

"Just a minute," vowed Mrs. Ostrich again. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Crow sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied grimly.