Mister Ferret And The New Neighbor

Mister Ferret lived in a gulch in a quonset hut made of buffalo hides. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover sauerkraut, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Fox standing there, his hands on his mouth. "How nice to see you, Mister Fox," Mister Ferret spoke up, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," stated Mister Fox. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" commented Mister Ferret glumly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a tequila sunrise?"

"I can't stay," argued Mister Fox. I just want to ask you what you think of the zebra that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," blubbered Mister Ferret. "I didn't know about any zebra. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," quoted Mister Fox sleepily. "I heard that this zebra likes to maintain boxes of Kleenex."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Fox, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of zebras maintaining boxes of Kleenex?"

"I can't imagine," yelled Mister Ferret.

"What are we going to do about it?" indicated Mister Fox.

"Appoint a committee?" stormed Mister Ferret, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Fox had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Fox calmly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," indicated Mister Ferret slyly, 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 Mister Fox warily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," muttered Mister Ferret haughtily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the cash register on his front porch, looking out over the gulch and bleeding. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Fox. Do come again."

"Just a minute," maintained Mister Fox roughly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Ferret sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied dubiously.